


Kitties of Eternity

by aban_ataashi, Bazylia_de_Grean, rannadylin, serenbach



Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: Cats AU, Gen, ttrpg catpaign, yes everyone is a CAT
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:21:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 26,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23172352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aban_ataashi/pseuds/aban_ataashi, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bazylia_de_Grean/pseuds/Bazylia_de_Grean, https://archiveofourown.org/users/rannadylin/pseuds/rannadylin, https://archiveofourown.org/users/serenbach/pseuds/serenbach
Summary: You're just looking for dinner when uncatny winds from the ruins tug at the yarn of your souls. What's up with those weird crystallized yarn formations? Who is the cat in the dragoncat mask? And is it safe to drink that milk you found in ancient ruins?Follow the adventures of Lulu, Pike and Marmalade as their journey across Purrwood is interrupted by strange cats and weird events that turn them into Meowchers and bring up unexpected meowmories of the times of the Catquisition.
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> _Logs from our rpg session, complete with player comments. Proofread by the fabulous Ranna <3  
> Starring:  
> Taashi as **Lulu**  
>  Seren as **Pike**  
>  Ranna as **Marmalade**  
>  and game meowster (Bazylia) as everymeowne else_

**game meowster**

You all meet at the borders of Purrwood, one of the countries of the Meowstern Reach, in a caravan headed for Gilded Vale. You ended up here for different reasons, lured by Lord Meowdric's offer and the prospect of having your own place to settle in... or maybe just a place to start another journey. Whatever it was, you are all here now, and since you're going to spend a few days travelling together and then probably being neighbours at least for some time, it might be a good idea to try and make new friends.

**Marmalade**

“Meow! Anyone have anything to eat?” Marmalade is a big, fluffy (well, the fluff might be making him look bigger than reality), orange tabby kitty with gold-brown eyes and a white face, belly, and paws with a mustache-like orange bit of fur just under his nose. His fur is liberally adorned with bits of leaves and dirt; his ears are a bit torn and scarred.

**game meowster**

[also I should warn you this campaign is gonna be 100% improvised]

The caravan guide, Meowdema, looks at Marms. "Yeah, we have supplies, but let's maybe leave some for the journey?"

**Pike**

"I have half a mouse, I suppose I can share if you want!"

 **Lulu**

"What about fish? I love fish!" An extremely fluffy cat with bright blue eyes looks around excitedly. She has some light gray markings on her face and around her nose but is otherwise completely white, with a bright red ribbon tied around her neck.

**Marmalade**

"New best friend!" Marms headbutts Pike, and then perks up at the mention of fish too.

**Pike**

"Uh, if you want fish you'll have to get your own, I'm afraid I don't do water!"

And I pass the half mouse, tail end, to Marmalade!

I am a tiny kitten-sized grey cat with black paws and ears and dark blue eyes.

**Marmalade**

"Thanks!" Marms feasts a bit on the mouse-end and then passes the remainder back to Pike.

**Pike**

I offer the last bit of mouse to Lulu.

**Lulu**

I perk up and happily finish it off. "Thanks so much! It's great to meet such nice friends on the road!"

**Pike**

"It's been a long road, I hope we're nearly there!"

**Marmalade**

Marms, having eaten, takes some time to roll in the dirt and replenish his fur coating.

**Lulu**

"I'm sure we must be! It'll be such a relief when we finally arrive. What are your plans in the Purrwood?"

**Marmalade**

"Lots of interesting places to get acquainted with and new leaves to play in!"

**Pike**

"I want to find somewhere to settle down, maybe have a few kittens."

**Lulu**

"Aww, how sweet!"

"I'm looking for new audiences to purrform for!"

**Marmalade**

"Oh! What do you purrform?"

**Lulu**

"I'm a singer! Everyone back home says I have the loveliest voice they've ever heard!" And I clear my throat and do some loud meowing to demonstrate.

**Marmalade**

Marms purrs in appreciation.

**Pike**

I twitch my whiskers approvingly.

**Lulu**

I give a little bow.

**game meowster**

[sorry, I can't gm, this is too funny and too cute XD ]

Meowdema climbs one of the rocks and meows loudly. "Okay, kittens, time to go. You can keep chatting while we travel." He jumps down, towards one of the small wagons where you all keep your things and supplies, puts his front paws on it and starts pushing.

**Marmalade**

Marmalade trots over to help push another wagon [er...at least I presume that's how a catravan works anyway XD], with a pause to be distracted by an interesting bug.

**Lulu**

Lulu runs over to help as well.

**game meowster**

[yeah, probably that's how a catravan would work]

**Pike**

I try to help too but I am very little.

**Marmalade**

Marms' wagon will alternately pull ahead toward the front of the group as he energetically pushes it, and then fall behind for a while when he pauses to roll in leaves or chase a bunny.

**game meowster**

Meowdema glances at Pike. "Wanna ride on the wagon? You could sleep now and then keep watch when we camp for the night."

**Pike**

I twitch my whiskers in agreement again and hop on the wagon and pretty much instantly fall asleep.

**game meowster**

[gm.exe stopped working because of a cuteness overload]

**Marmalade**

[hehe, i have a feeling this is gonna be a frequent occurrence in this game XD]

**game meowster**

You travel without interruptions for the most of the day. As the sun starts setting, you notice parts of what seems to be a big stone structure over the treetops.

**Lulu**

"Oooh, what's that up ahead?"

**game meowster**

"You don't have Meowgwithan ruins back... wherever you're from?" Meowdema is surprised.

**Marmalade**

"Can we meow at their door and see if they have anything to eat?"

**Lulu**

I shake my head. "I'm from a little island out in the Catfire Archipurrlago! We hardly have anything out there other than sand!"

"And fish!"

**Marmalade**

"Fish sounds good!"

**game meowster**

One of the cats in the caravan whose name you recall is Clawnakin Catwalker twitches his ears. "I hate sand."

Meowdema hisses at Clawnakin before turning back to you. "Fish sounds great."

"Anyway, Meowgwith was an ancient kittvilisation and we have ruins like this all over Purrwood. Even more of them in Eir Catfath, or so cats say. Not many have been there to check."

As you talk, you come closer, following the turn of the road, and then you see it. Ruins, high and still magnificent, adorned with strange patterns and stylised figures of mythical owlcats and fluffy dragoncats.

On a clearing in front of the ruins, there is an even stranger thing - a half-circle formed of pillars of crystallized yarn, mostly in various shades of green, and glowing softly.

**Marmalade**

"Whoooooa!"

**game meowster**

Meowdema looks over you. "I take it you don't have meowdra where you're from either."

**Marmalade**

"Can we play with it?"

**Lulu**

"Please say yes!"

**game meowster**

"Better not, and let's keep away from the ruins. There might be Catfathans lurking around in the forest."

**Marmalade**

"I can take them!" Marmalade yowls lightly and then rolls on his back, paws batting at the air.

**game meowster**

"Let's hope we won't have to test that."

"Many of them are followers of Clawlawain, and are often aggressive, and all of them are unfriendly towards cats from Purrwood and other places."

**Lulu**

"Aww, I'm sure they're not all that bad!"

**game meowster**

"They're very good. With arrows. And crazy druid magic." Meowdema looks at Marms. "No offence."

**Marmalade**

Marms' ears perk up. "They sound like fun!"

**game meowster**

"A lot of fun!" A group of wild looking cats with matted fur jumps out of the bushes. They all have bows and arrows, and nasty looking swords, and very sharp claws and teeth. They also have much more twigs and leaves in their fur than Marms has ever dreamt of. "You have desecatrated this holy site, _estrameowrn_! And now we'll hunt you, in Clawlawain's name!"

**Marmalade**

Marmalade is delighted at the chance of a scrap, and also very impressed with their fur decorations, and leaps into the fray.

**game meowster**

"And here goes a peaceful solution..." Meowdema sighs and takes out his sword and joins the fight, and other cats from the caravan follow.

**Pike**

I wake up at the noise, jump down from the wagon, and use my Frightening Yowl skill to try and scare the attackers into standing still.

**Lulu**

Lulu yelps and hides behind a cart, and does some chanting from her hiding place to summon tiny spirit kitties to do the fighting for her.

**game meowster**

[Pike roll for intimidation. Lulu, roll for charm because it's too cute]

**Marmalade**

Marms casts Tanglepaw, which if humans were involved would certainly mean the cat walking in just the right spot to trip them, but I suppose it might be actual roots tripping them for a Druid cat vs other Druid cats. XD

**Pike**

13 intimidation

**game meowster**

[Marms roll for Tanglepaw]

**Marmalade**

9!

**Lulu**

first roll of the campaign and i got a natural 20 XD

**game meowster**

Marms, you wouldn't admit that, but you're too impressed with the amount of twigs and leaves those cats have in their fur, and your spell misfires.

**Marmalade**

Marms shakes it off and just goes for a bite attack or something. Probably in between announcing to the enemy "Cool leaves! Where'd you pick those up?" XD

**game meowster**

But that's not a problem, because they stop for a moment anyway, taken aback and a little scared by the powerful yowl coming from that tiny and seemingly harmless cat.

**Pike**

[Yay!]

**game meowster**

In fact, they stop just for long enough to get a good look at Lulu and her spirit kitties, and they are charmed by this wonderful sight.

"Can we really hunt something so cute?" one of them asks, glancing at their leader.

"The _anameowfath_ is going to be furious..." The leader's whiskers twitch. "But this one clearly is the chosen of Purrlea, the goddess of all meows."

**Marmalade**

[side note how does Purrlea feel about her kitties chasing her birds? thinking]

**game meowster**

[in this universe, she is the goddess of owlcats, not birds, so totally fine!]

The leader hisses at Meowdema. "If you're still here tomorrow, we're gonna hunt you."

"And you must pay for your lives. The cute one must sing a song."

**Lulu**

I watch this happen, looking slightly confused by what's happening, but when he mentions singing I perk up. "I can do that!" And I start meow-singing.

**game meowster**

[ok you must now choose a verse or two of a song and kittify it by adding some cat puns XD]

[you can use [kittify](https//kittify.herokuapp.com/)]

**Lulu**

[oh fantastic, let me put my music on shuffle and see what I get]

**Pike**

[That is such a cool website!]

**Lulu**

I clear my throat and sing out, "And if it means I'll be waiting twenty years, And twenty more, I'll be purraying fur redemption, And your note underneath my door."

**game meowster**

"Fine, you may stay here tonight. But no playing in the ruins and no touching the meowdra!" The leader glances at Lulu and purrs. "Visit us sometime, cute one, mrr?"

**Lulu**

"I will! Thank you for your hospitality!" I turn back to the others. "See? I knew they were nice after all!"

**Marmalade**

"And very well dressed!"

**Pike**

"Who were those guys, anyway?"

**game meowster**

The leader looks at Marms, hisses, purrs at Lulu once again, and then the Catfathans turn away and jump back into the bushes and disappear into the forest.

"Those were the cats from Eir Catfath," Meowdema explains. "For some reason, they think they must guards the ruins because that's the will of the gods."

**Pike**

"Is all the Purrwood like this?"

**game meowster**

"About half of it. It's different where you're from?"

**Pike**

"I'm from Rawrautai, we mostly just hide from the storms there."

**Lulu**

"I liked them!"

**Pike**

"I hate getting wet!"

**game meowster**

As you speak, there is a low rumbling that sounds like lightning, even though the sky isn't very clouded.

**Pike**

I shiver and all my fur stands on end.

**game meowster**

The wind starts blowing, first soft, but a little stronger with each gust.

Meowdema hisses. "A _meoŵac_! Cats, everyone to the ruins! Run!"

**Marmalade**

"A Meow-a-what?"

**game meowster**

"Run, you fools!"

**Pike**

I run!

**Lulu**

I also run!

**Marmalade**

Marms follows!

**game meowster**

You all run to the ruins as fast as your paws carry you. The wind is becoming even stronger, turning into a storm even though there's no rain. Your fur stands on end, and you feel something tugging at the yarn of your souls, as if it wanted to unravel it.

You get to the entrance, but the walls are unstable, and too weak to withstand the tremors caused by so many paws, no matter how fluffy. The walls start to crumble, and as you three run in, the ceiling collapses behind you, trapping all the others outside.

But you are safe... for now.

**Pike**

"See! Storms are bad!"

**Marmalade**

"That was a crazy one!"

**Lulu**

"I've never seen a storm like that before!"

**Marmalade**

Marms noses at the collapsed stone behind us. "Uh oh. I think we left dinner behind."

**game meowster**

[this cat has priorities XD]

**Marmalade**

[playing him as true to the RL Marms as I can XD]

**Pike**

"We left everything behind - do you think we can find a way through these ruins?"

**Marmalade**

"Sure! Let's explore!"

**Lulu**

"After you!"

**Marmalade**

Marms trots ahead, whiskers poised.

**game meowster**

[ok let's use the in-game map and pretend you don't know the layout]

**Pike**

I follow Marms.

**Lulu**

Lulu takes up the rear, following the others' cue.

**game meowster**

After a few steps, the corridor ends, joining another. Which way do you go?

**Marmalade**

Marms looks and sniffs both ways. Anything interesting he notices?

**game meowster**

[perception roll]

**Marmalade**

11!

**game meowster**

You can smell old traces of cat from the tunnel on the left, and you can hear the faint sound of running water, though you're not sure from which direction.

**Marmalade**

Left then, follow the cats that have gone before!

**game meowster**

You go into the left tunnel. At the end, you find a small circular chamber. There are some old blankets here, and a few boxes and bags, and a layer of dust with pawprints in it. Whoever left it here, it was at least days ago.

**Pike**

Can I look in the boxes?

**game meowster**

[you can do whatever you want]

**Marmalade**

Marms sniffs at the pawprints. And makes sure to reapply dust to his fur while there's some handy.

**Pike**

I look in the boxes!

**game meowster**

[perception roll]

**Pike**

16

**game meowster**

You find a nice portion of dry food, a bottle of water and a magically preserved bottle of milk, and a small pouch of catnip.

**Pike**

"Hey Marms, there's food in here!"

**Marmalade**

Marmalade shakes the leftover dust from his fur. "Yay! Good work, Pike!"

**game meowster**

After delving a little deeper into one of the boxes, you also find a small piece of meowdra shaped like a ball of yarn.

**Lulu**

"Ooh pretty!"

**Pike**

I bat it over to Lulu.

**Marmalade**

Marms starts to investigate the dry food Pike found and then perks up at the smell of catnip.

**Lulu**

I start off very seriously examining the pendant then get distracted and just start playing with it.

**Pike**

I open the milk and start drinking some and get a little milk moustache.

**Marmalade**

"Very stylish, Pike!"

**game meowster**

[aww your kitties are too adorable]

**Pike**

"Thanks Marms!"

**Marmalade**

Marmalade rolls on his back, batting the catnip pouch in the air.

**game meowster**

[Lulu, general knowledge roll with disadvantage if you want]

**Lulu**

[3 XD ]

**game meowster**

That lovely ball of yarn reminds you of... Nevermind. It's a shiny. lovely. ball of yarn. Gotta play!

**Marmalade**

Marmalade eventually gets distracted from the catnip by the gleam of Lulu's toy and jumps in to bat it back at her when it rolls further away.

**game meowster**

[dexterity roll, both of you. or acrobatics or something]

**Marmalade**

11!

**Lulu**

lol 1

**game meowster**

Marms, you bat the meowdra ball to Lulu, and she joins the game and bats it back to you. But she's so excited she either bats the ball too hard or aims too much to the side, or both, because the ball misses Marms completely, hits the nearby wall and shatters with a high-pitched sound not unlike a quiet, plaintive meow.

**Lulu**

"Oh no!" I sadly examine the pieces. "I'm so sorry!"

**Marmalade**

"Oops!" Marms noses at them too. "They're still pretty! And bat-able!" He demonstrates, batting one of the larger pieces toward her.

**Pike**

"And we still have food! And milk!"

**Lulu**

I bat the piece back and feel a little better. "I just hope that wasn't important to whoever it belongs to!"

**Pike**

"If it was important they wouldn't have left it in these creepy ruins probably!"

**Marmalade**

"It was nice of them to leave us this food though!"

**Lulu**

"That's true! Let's follow these pawprints and see where they went off to!"

**game meowster**

What do you do with food supplies and the meowdra shards?

**Marmalade**

Can we take things with us? Do we have to just carry things in our mouth or something?

**Pike**

[Do we have little backpacks? Catbags?]

**game meowster**

[let's say you can carry things in pockets/pouches etc, you can have clothes, backpacks, weapons and stuff]

**Marmalade**

Marms will stock up on the food for sure then!

**game meowster**

[like, realism? probability? rules? what are those things to cats anyway? XD]

**Lulu**

I'll gather up the meowdra shards, thinking maybe I can glue them back together later.

**Pike**

I'll put the lid back on the milk and put it in my bag.

**Marmalade**

Marms grabs the catnip pouch too, is distracted a moment playing with it, and then remembers they were doing things and offers, "Anycat want a bit of this nip? There's plenty!"

**Lulu**

"Sure!"

**Pike**

I take a nip.

**game meowster**

[roll for catnip XD]

**Marmalade**

[pfffft hehe!]

17!

**Lulu**

11

**game meowster**

Marms, you're a cat that's been places and done things, and you know exactly how much catnip to use not to suffer any side effects.

**Pike**

8

**game meowster**

Lulu, your walk is a little unsteady, and you can hear the kitty spirits chanting quietly even though you haven't called them.

Pike, your walk is unsteady, and you occasionally bump into a wall. Did you always have four paws? Whoa, that seems like a lot to manage...

**Lulu**

I hum along with the spirits as I walk.

**Pike**

I walk a lot sideways and stop to stare at my paws, perplexed.

**game meowster**

You follow the pawprints until the tunnel forks again. Ahead, there is a smaller tunnel that turns a little to the left. On your left, there is a wider tunnel. You can see some columns, and patterned floor tiles, and it seems you can go three different ways from there.

**Marmalade**

Marms sniffs the air and looks around again.

**game meowster**

[perception roll]

**Marmalade**

13!

**game meowster**

There are no more pawprints in sight. But there is a faint smell of cat in the wider tunnel, and a smell of something else, something unnerving...

**Marmalade**

Marms hisses at the unnerving smell.

So...smaller tunnel then!

**Lulu**

I follow Marms!

**Pike**

I follow slower since my paws aren't working properly.

**game meowster**

You enter the smaller tunnel and are immediately stopped by an awful shriek. There is a creature blocking your path, furless, with big ears and sharp teeth - a scatldr.

**Marmalade**

Marms growls and his fur stands on end.

**game meowster**

[general knowledge roll]

**Marmalade**

5!

**Pike**

19

**Lulu**

18

**game meowster**

Marms, you have no idea what this thing is, but you're very ready to fight it. Pike and Lulu, you've heard of those creatures. They come in packs, often live near spidercats, and their diet consists mostly of... cat. You now have an idea what might have happened to some of those cats whose supplies you found.

**Pike**

I hiss and puff up as big as I can.

**game meowster**

[OMG too cute]

[intimidation roll, because those creatures don't understand cuteness]

**Marmalade**

[So fierce!]

**Pike**

14

**Marmalade**

[poor, poor creatures not to understand the cuteness of that]

**game meowster**

The creature hisses back, and grins at you, revealing its sharp teeth. You don't understand its language, if it has any, but that grin says "ooh nice looks like that one is more food than I thought".

**Lulu**

"Maybe we should go another way?"

**game meowster**

[sorry, guys, I rolled a 19...]

**Marmalade**

"The other way smelled bad though..."

**Lulu**

"But this guy looks like he wants to eat us! And there's probably more!"

**Pike**

"There's three of us though!"

**Lulu**

"If you're sure..." I say, and I step back a little and begin chanting to summon my spirits again.

**Marmalade**

Marmalade chirps happily at the signs of a fight and casts a Sunbeam on the weird critter.

**game meowster**

Lulu, as you start singing, the creature shrieks... and a few other shrieks answer from the tunnel behind it.

[roll for whatever you're doing]

**Pike**

[Do we have weapons or is it just teeth and claws?]

**game meowster**

[you can have weapons]

**Marmalade**

7 for the Sunbeam, alas. XD

**Pike**

[Cool]

**Lulu**

13 to summon spirits and command them to attack.

**Pike**

Then I go into a pawbarian rage and swing my great sword which is bigger than me.

And I rolled a 15.

**game meowster**

Before the creature knows what hit it, it's a scatldr-sized grilled steak on the floor.

A few other scatldrs run out of the tunnel, stop, take in the sight... and run towards the creature, grinning and chirping, ignoring you completely. Whatever they're saying seems like "dinner!"

You'd have to get past them if you wanted to continue down this tunnel.

**Pike**

I flick a piece of scatldr meat closer to them and try and scuttle round while they eat.

**game meowster**

[stealth roll]

**Pike**

14

**Lulu**

I follow behind with a 15.

**Marmalade**

Marms tries to follow but I got a 2 on that one. XD

[this is all very in character for RL Marms, who constantly comes home with cuts and scrapes and bites and limping...that boy apparently likes to get into fights and is no good at it]

**Pike**

[Aw bless!]

**game meowster**

You try to sneak past them... But don't even get close as Marms, still very happy after his catnip, keeps stomping his paws on the floor.

The creatures - all five of them - stop eating and look at you. One of them chirps, which sounds like a question, and then they all grin.

**Marmalade**

Marms hisses and casts Tanglepaw.

with a...16!

**Pike**

I get my sword ready if they come close.

**Lulu**

I'll chant "The Thunder Rolled like Waves on Black Seas" for shock and stun damage, with a 17!

**game meowster**

Marms, this time there are no fashionable strangers in sights, and you cast your spell easily - roots spring up from the floor, curling around the creatures, which are now immobilized.

Lulu, this place is so very _not_ cute you cannot concentrate properly, and all your spell does is grill the half-eaten scatldr steak some more.

[sorry, I rolled a 20!... XD]

**Lulu**

"Oops!"

**Pike**

"Are we going to run for it, or do you want me to chop them up?"

**Lulu**

"I vote run!"

**Marmalade**

"Onwards!"

**Pike**

I put my sword away and follow.

**game meowster**

You run along the tunnel, followed by the creatures' shrieks. You come to a circular chamber, adorned with somewhat crumbled columns. There is a small pillar of meowdra in the middle, and aside from the tunnel you've come through, there's only one way out.

**Marmalade**

Marms is momentarily distracted by more pretty meowdra.

**Lulu**

I scan the room for anything that looks interesting or unusual.

**game meowster**

[Lulu, perception roll]

**Lulu**

13

**game meowster**

You notice some dusty tufts of fur on the floor in the corner, among some rubble. This must be the scatldrs’ nest, and all that remains of the poor adventurers who got here before you. Aside from that, there's nothing interesting in the chamber.

**Lulu**

Onwards then!

**Pike**

Let's go!

**Marmalade**

Marmalade chirps when he sees the girls moving on and drags himself away from the meowdra.

**game meowster**

Are you walking normally or stealthing?

**Pike**

Normally.

**game meowster**

You enter the next tunnel, which after a while ends in another crossing. On the left, you see the columns, and the patterned tiles you saw earlier. On the right, there is another circular chamber.

[perception roll]

**Pike**

5

**Lulu**

19

**Marmalade**

12

**game meowster**

Lulu, you notice a door at the far end of that chamber. The tunnel on the left smells of something that makes your fur stand on end. Marms, you can smell that suspicious thing again. Lulu, after a while, you realise what it is. It's _bathwater_.

**Lulu**

"It smells like a bath in here!"

**Pike**

"Let's go a different way!"

**Lulu**

"How about that door over there?"

**Pike**

"Any way is better than the bath way!"

**Marmalade**

Marmalade shivers, sniffing at his beautifully dusty fur. "Away from the bath!"

**game meowster**

You go across the chamber and through the door, and suddenly you find yourself outside.

The storm has passed, and the night is calm and clear, and the sky is starry.

**Pike**

"Phew, that was close!"

**game meowster**

You are standing on something like a terrace, overlooking a circular courtyard or a small plaza. Its central part is a strange structure, made of many stone rings, and adorned with statues of dragoncats, and there are a few round plates on the grass in front of it.

**Marmalade**

"This looks more like it!"

**game meowster**

There are four cats down there, all of them in robes and masks.

**Lulu**

"What's going on here?"

**game meowster**

[do you ask this aloud?]

**Lulu**

[yes!]

**game meowster**

[ok but please please let me put some flavour text here first XD]

After a moment, you realise one of those cats is not moving, and it doesn't seem natural.

One of the robed cats is black, and is wearing a headdress with wings like those of dragoncats. He's turned towards the machine, front paws raised.

In a low, purring voice, he intones: "Yarnbinder bear witness and see this cat has kept his word, true to his last breath. Guide his soul, Queen That Meows, and regard it among your Favored. Let his life by the Claw be his catfession. Let his death by the Claw be his catsolution."

"Your brother has done his part, and you have seen the power of his cattribution. In the sight of the Queen That Meows, will you fulfill the oath? Will you take your place beside your brother in the endless esteem of Her meowmory that is without flaw..."

**Marmalade**

[oh the puns XD]

**game meowster**

And then Lulu's question interrupts his speech and everyone freezes.

The black cat looks in your direction. "Come forward!"

**Pike**

"Who, us?"

**Lulu**

I give him a little wave. "Hi! Um, I think we're lost?"

**game meowster**

He takes a step towards you. "You are lost, yes." There is a bit of a hiss in his tone. "What are you doing here?"

**Pike**

"Trying not to get eaten?"

**game meowster**

[this is so many levels of pawesome XD]

**Marmalade**

"And finding something to eat would be a bonus!"

**Lulu**

"There was a storm, and then we went into this cave, and now we're out here!"

**game meowster**

[...must resist making Thaos just hug you... must resist...]

The black cat nods at you. "Come forward."

**Marmalade**

Marms trots ahead.

**Lulu**

I step forward with Marms.

**Pike**

I go with them.

**game meowster**

As you come closer, you see the mysterious cat a little better. His face is hidden behind a mask, but you see that he has green eyes, and amazing fur that looks very, very soft.

**Marmalade**

Marms is a little disappointed at the lack of leaves in his fur, despite its softness.

**game meowster**

And then you blink, and suddenly you are in a different place.

It seems you are in some sort of a chamber. The machine is still there in front of you, but it is built around a tall pillar of meowdra.

The mysterious robed cat is standing near it, and you want to approach him, to ask a very important question, but you're not sure what exactly... Something is tugging at the yarn of your souls, and when you look down at your paws, they are different than you remember...

And then everything turns to black.

[Lulu, roll for will and then perception]

**Lulu**

[4 will, 18 perception]

**game meowster**

[you know what, Pike and Marms can roll for it too ]

**Marmalade**

4 will & 12 perception

**Pike**

[20 will 15 perception]

[Woo first natural 20!]

**game meowster**

You all try to stay awake, or even just open your eyes, but it's very difficult.

Lulu, you can't keep your eyes open. But you hear the black cat's voice: "This doesn't belong to you, little fluff."

Pike, there is a lot of will to fight in your small body, and you manage to briefly open your eyes. You catch a glimpse of the black cat standing near the machine; then you blink, and he is leaning over Lulu.

The last thing you all notice before you faint is the strange but already familiar feeling of the magical wind, _meoŵac_ , tugging at the yarn of your souls.

You wake just before dawn, back at the courtyard, near the strange machine. The black cat is gone, but the other cats are still there, unmoving, as if turned to stone.

**Marmalade**

Marms hisses, startled, at one of the stone cats.

**game meowster**

There are voices, just at the edge of your hearing: meows and hisses and chirps.

**Pike**

I get up and sniff one of the statues.

**Lulu**

I stretch out and yawn, and look around with confusion. "What was all that about?"

**game meowster**

As you move, you see shapes, similar to the spirits Lulu can summon, but these make your fur stand on end. Cats in bathtubs filled with water and smelling of flowery shampoo, unable to get out. Cats watching their yarn balls torn into pieces by other, masked cats in dark robes.

[perception roll, two for Pike]

**Pike**

[4 and 11]

**Marmalade**

[19, and pffffft XD to the bathtubs of the catquisition XD]

**Lulu**

[10]

**game meowster**

The statue smells like... fur? But different? It smells like a cat was there.

Marms, you notice the masked cats have a symbol of a claw on their robes.

**Marmalade**

Marms points out the symbol to the girls.

**Pike**

"That black cat was sniffing you or something, Lulu."

**Lulu**

"I think he said something didn't belong to me?" I check through my things to see if anything's missing.

**game meowster**

The shattered meowdra ball is gone.

**Marmalade**

"I wonder if he wanted the catnip and milk back too?"

**Lulu**

"Was that ball his? Maybe that's why he seemed so grumpy, he was upset we broke his yarn toy!"

**game meowster**

[something tells me that question Marms couldn't remember was "is there more food?" XD]

**Marmalade**

[something is probably correct XD]

**Pike**

"Well, he shouldn't have left it lying around if he didn't want us to play with it!"

**Marmalade**

"That's right!"

**Marmalade**

"He did leave the food, though, right?" Marms checks his own bag.

**game meowster**

The food and catnip are still there.

**Pike**

And the milk?

**game meowster**

The milk is untouched too.

**Pike**

Phew!

**Lulu**

"That's good news!"

**Pike**

I pass the milk around.

**Marmalade**

"Well, we can find other toys!"

**game meowster**

[is the team's quest now like: find a new toy in case we meet that black cat again? XD]

**Marmalade**

[Marms' personal quest is and will always be Dinner! and leaves.]

**Lulu**

"Well, if everybody else is gone I guess we should move on too. Does anyone know the way to town?"

**Pike**

"Nope! But I'm sure we'll find it!"

**Marmalade**

"Let's explore!"

"Maybe we'll find mice to chase on the way. And leaves to roll in!"

**game meowster**

[you can roll for navigation to try to determine which way the caravan was going]

**Pike**

11

**Marmalade**

20! :-D

All those leaves make Marms a natural explorer, apparently XD

**Lulu**

6

**Marmalade**

...with the caveat that even if he knows where the caravan was going, he'd probably still get distracted by exploring along the way.

**game meowster**

Pike, you were asleep for most of the day, so you don't really know. Lulu, you were too busy thinking of new songs and making sure the kitty spirits got enough exercise, so you have no idea.

Marms, you're a cat that's been places, and navigated a lot between them in search for food and best twigs and leaves. Using the slowly dimming stars and noticing where the sun is rising, you easily determine which way you should go.

**Marmalade**

"This way!" He bounds off, only pausing every 30 steps or so to sniff at an interesting twig.

**Pike**

I chase after him.

**Lulu**

I follow!

**game meowster**

You follow Marms through the forest. From time to time, you still hear or see things just at the very edge of your senses, not quite there but still seeming real enough.

**Marmalade**

Marms occasionally pounces at or sniffs at those, too. XD

**game meowster**

The blurry shapes disappear as soon as Marms touches them.

Sometime after the sun rises, you see a castle or something similar above the treetops. A while later, you also notice a few lines of smoke rising into the air - that must be where the village is. Maybe someone there will be able to answer some of your questions.

And that's where we'll end tonight's session!


	2. Chapter 2

**game meowster**

You follow Marms into Gilded Vale. The first thing you notice is the big tree in the middle of the village. There are cats up on the highest branches, clinging to them with their claws tightly. Some of them are very skinny. Underneath the tree, there is a pale-ginger cat smoking a pipe. There are small groups of locals here and there, but overall they don't seem very chatty.

**Lulu**

I look up at the tree with wide, shocked eyes. "What is that?"

**game meowster**

Some cats standing near the inn look at you strangely.

The cat with the pipe stops smoking. "You asking the air or those guys up there, fluffy?"

[sorry in advance, gonna do my best but I can't speak proper Edér or Iselmyr]

**Lulu**

"What are they doing up there?"

**Pike**

"And how do we get them down?"

**game meowster**

"You don't try unless you wanna end up there too." The pipe cat comes closer. "Those cats up there were accused of purracticing animeowncy. Which, in Lord Meowdric's eyes, is an offence against Purrath. So they were chased up there and can't get down."

**Pike**

[Animeowncy! I love it!]

**game meowster**

He gives you a half-amused but grim smile. "You know, like in that Purrathian parable where you can't tell if a cat's alive or not unless they open the box the cat's in. But we didn't have enough boxes."

**Marmalade**

Marmalade's ears flatten back. "Has anyone thrown food up to them?

**Lulu**

"Those poor things, that sounds horrible!"

**game meowster**

"And yeah, someone tried." The pipe cat tilts his head up, towards one of the cats on the tree. "My foreman."

As you speak, three armoured cats approach you. "Hey, strangers, any of you ever had Yarnlessborn kittens?"

**Lulu**

[yarnlessborn rofl ]

**Marmalade**

[pfffft at the Yarnless born XD]

**Pike**

"I haven't had any kittens yet, let alone... whatever they are."

**Lulu**

"No? What are yarnlessborn?"

**game meowster**

"You haven't heard of Meowdwen's Legacy?"

**Pike**

"We just got here!"

**game meowster**

"Long story short, Meowothas decided he's got a grudge against Purrwood, so he found that purrlas farmer in Rawreadceras, Meowdwen. At first, we thought that was just a crazy cat. But when it turned out Meowothas really did speak through Meowdwen, the cats of Purrwood sought Meowgran's help, and then dumped a bath bomb on him at Meowvon Dewr bridge," one of the armoured cats explains.

The pipe cat winces as he listens.

**Marmalade**

[bath bomb pfffft XD]

**game meowster**

"Anyway, some time later, the Yarnlessborn curse started," the armoured cat continues. "Purriests and scientists say our kittens are born without the yarn in their little souls. They eat and sleep and stuff, but they don't purr and don't know how to play. If you put a ball of yarn in front of them, they just stare at it."

**Pike**

"That sounds terrible!"

**Marmalade**

"Horrible!"

**Lulu**

"Oh no..."

**Marmalade**

"Do they...do they roll in leaves?"

**game meowster**

All the local cats' expressions are grave as the same armoured cat answers "No. They don't play at all."

**Lulu**

Lulu starts tearing up just thinking about that.

**Marmalade**

"But they do still eat? That's something good at least."

**game meowster**

The pipe cat pats Lulu's paw. "There, there..."

"They eat, but that's not a real cat life without playing." The armoured cat shakes his head. "That's no proper life at all."

"It got worse," another armoured cat says. "Some animeowncers..." she lowers her voice while speaking that word, "tried putting some yarn into the kittens' soul. But poor little fluffs turned feral after that and ran away into the woods. Lord Meowdric declared it was a crime against Purrath, the twin catgod, and that only Purrath can help us."

"So, yeah, avoid animeowncers," the pipe cat says. "And the woods."

**Lulu**

"Has Purrath helped yet?"

**Marmalade**

"But there are leaves in the woods! And twigs!"

**game meowster**

"Lord Meowdric believes Purrath will help when we get rid of all the animeowncers."

"So," the first armoured cat becomes businesslike again. "No Yarnlessborn, any of you?"

**Marmalade**

"Uh, not that I'd know of..."

**Lulu**

"No!"

**Pike**

"Nope!"

**game meowster**

"Fine, you can stay here then. There should be some rooms at the inn." The armoured cat gestures towards a building. "We don't have many guests here."

"He meant we have no guests any longer," the pipe cat mouths quietly as the armoured cats walk away.

**Pike**

"Are they all in that tree?" I ask, looking up at the skinny scared cats in the branches.

**game meowster**

"All that weren't smart enough to leave."

**Pike**

"Maybe this isn't the best place to settle down after all..."

**Marmalade**

"Especially if you wanna have kittens like you talked about. I'm sure yours will be really playful though, Pike!"

**Pike**

"Yeah, I don't want to have kittens that can't play!"

**Marmalade**

"If they can't play, how would they ever learn to hunt?" Marmalade rolls over, adding to his fur what bits of leaves can be found under this sad tree.

**game meowster**

The pipe cat nods. "That would be a tragedy! 'Cause I'm sure they would be the cutest kittens ever."

"They don't learn to hunt. Uh, except for those that got yarn put into their souls by animeowncers." He winces. "Those hunt very well. In fact, hunting is all they do."

**Pike**

"That sounds bad too!"

**game meowster**

"Just keep to the road when you leave the village and you should be fine."

[will save/roll and perception roll everyone]

**Marmalade**

15 and 9!

**Pike**

[Will 16 Perception 10]

**Lulu**

[9 and 12]

**game meowster**

Marms, there are some voices and shapes at the edges of your senses, but there are also new leaves and twigs around, so you ignore them. Pike, you notice the voices and shapes too - they dissolve very fast when you turn your head, but you recognize the masked cats - but you're too preoccupied with thoughts of kittens to pay attention to them.

Lulu, you hear voices and see the masked cats with the claw symbol on their robes. At first, you're disoriented, because those strange cats surely weren't here a moment ago... It takes you a while to notice those are just some stray meowmories, caused by... whatever happened to you all in the ruins.

**Marmalade**

Marmalade pounces at a twig.

**Lulu**

"I...I think I need a catnap."

**game meowster**

The pipe cat glances at Marms. "I think his kittens would be too preoccupied with scenery to even notice they're Yarnlessborn..."

Then he immediately turns to Lulu. "You okay, fluffy?"

[two soft cute lady cats in one place, catEder.exe is not working XD]

**Lulu**

"Is anybody else seeing those cats with the masks again?"

**Marmalade**

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I thought that was just a funny leaf!"

**game meowster**

"Keep it quiet!" the pipe cat shushes you. "You wanna end up on that tree or what?"

**Pike**

"They can try!" I say, puffing up a bit.

**game meowster**

The pipe cat pats your paw. "There, there, calm down. Would be a shame to deprive the world of those cutest kittens, right?"

"Okay, so you're definitely not fine..." He scratches behind his ear, thinking.

"There's an old Meowcher in Cat Nua, not far from here... Maybe he could help you. He used to do that stuff a lot. Well, of course that was before he kinda disappeared in his keep... But cats say Meowchers can see the soul yarn, so maybe he'd be able to help you. If you can find him."

**Marmalade**

"We're pretty good at finding things!"

**Pike**

"Yeah we found that milk in the ruins!"

**Marmalade**

"And I found this really neat twig just now." Marmalade noses at his apparent prize.

**game meowster**

"Ruins? You were in Meowgwithan ruins?" The pipe cat blinks, surprised. "Listen, you gotta be more careful if the cute puffy here really wants to have those kittens someday."

**Marmalade**

"We were very careful in there! We sniffed the air before we went anywhere."

"Avoided some very nasty bathwater that way."

**Lulu**

"We only went in because we were hiding from the storm!"

**Pike**

"And those angry cats!"

**Lulu**

"Those cats weren't so bad, they were nice in the end."

**Marmalade**

"And very stylish!"

**game meowster**

The pipe cat looks at Marms doubtfully. "I'll take your word for it."

"Okay, okay, listen.... Seems like you've been through a lot. Why don't you go to the inn and get some food and rest? And if you decide on going to Cat Nua tomorrow, just find me. I might have a question or two for the old Meowcher myself..." He smiles. "I'm Catér Purrlecg, by the way."

**Lulu**

"Nice to meet you! And thanks for the help!"

**Pike**

"I'm Pike, nice to meetcha!"

**Marmalade**

"Food and rest and an adventure tomorrow sounds like a great plan!" Marmalade attaches the neat twig to his tail, alongside one or two already decorating it.

**Pike**

"It looks good, Marms!"

**Marmalade**

"Thanks Pike!"

**game meowster**

"Nice meeting you, Pike and Marms. And you, fluffy."

**Lulu**

"Oh, I'm Lulu!"

**Marmalade**

"Thanks for the advice, Catér!"

**game meowster**

"You're welcomeow."

**Marmalade**

"Also..." Marms tilts his head and looks at Catér's pipe. "Is that catnip?"

**game meowster**

Catér grins. "You bet."

"Wanna try? I have another pipe at home."

**Marmalade**

"Sure! I think we've still got a bit of nip left over from..." He lowers his voice to a whisper, ears lowered too and eyes narrowed conspiratorially, "...where we found the milk!"

**game meowster**

"I'll get you that pipe tomorrow. Have a good afternoon nap!" Catér nods at you all.

**Pike**

I blink at him. "Bye Catér!"

**Marmalade**

"See ya!"

**Lulu**

"Bye!"

**game meowster**

Catér blinks back at Pike. "See you around, cats!"

And then he walks away.

**Lulu**

"I guess we should go find that inn now!"

**Marmalade**

Marmalade yawns big. "Yep, catnap time!"

**Pike**

"Yes, let's go!"

**game meowster**

The inn is the biggest building in the village. The ruins you now pass by, which were probably a temple, could have been bigger once, but that's no longer the case. There is a big sign over the door: a drawing of a black cat, and letters saying _The Black Cat Inn_.

There is a group of cats standing in front of the main door. Three of them look like local farmers. The fourth is a sleek bluish-gray cat in fancy robes, holding a book in his paws.

"I purreally didn't meown anything by it..."

**game meowster**

[perception roll]

**Marmalade**

16!

**Pike**

[These cat puns are killing me!]

13!

**Lulu**

[8]

**Marmalade**

[me too! they are endless and purrfect!]

**game meowster**

Marms, you have been places (in fact you've been so many places you should seriously think about those kittens you don't know of), and you recognize the fancy cat's accent is Meowedyran.

**Marmalade**

[now I'm totally expecting Marmalade to have a Scanlan and Kaylie moment at some point in this campaign XD]

**game meowster**

[...I have an idea...]

**Pike**

[Oooh!]

**game meowster**

"I've heard what you said before, you Meowedyran carpet!" one of the local cats growls.

"No, purreally, that was a mismeownderstanding..."

**Lulu**

"Whoa, what's going on here?"

**game meowster**

"That furless Meowedyran carpet offended us!"

"Doesn't meown it's offunsive if your tail's not fluffy enough fur it!" the fancy cat squeaks. His expression changes to pure terror. "Meow, that's not what..."

"You heard him?" The local cats bare their teeth and hiss.

**Lulu**

"Hey, there's no need to fight!"

**game meowster**

[purrsuasion roll]

**Lulu**

[17]

**game meowster**

"That's what I've been saying furom the beginning!" the fancy cat looks at you gratefully.

The local cats stare at Lulu, then exchange glances. "Would be unkittilised to fight in front of such cute fluff..." And they go away.

**Lulu**

"Thank you, friends!" I say as they go.

**game meowster**

The fancy cat waits until they disappear behind a house and sighs in relief. "Meowny thanks!"

**Lulu**

"Always happy to help!"

**game meowster**

He gives a little formal bow. "Meowloth Catfiser, at your service."

**Lulu**

"Nice to meet you! I'm Lulu!"

**Marmalade**

"Hi! I'm Marmalade!"

**Pike**

"I'm Pike!"

**game meowster**

"It's a purrleasure meowting you." He looks over you all with a frown. "You're not from here, are you?"

**Pike**

"What gave it away?"

**game meowster**

[the gm already regrets having given catAloth an accent...]

**Lulu**

"Nope! I'm from the Catfire Archipurrlago! We all just got here today."

**Marmalade**

[does the Meowedyran accent consist of a higher rate of cat puns? XD]

**game meowster**

[yes; he speaks purroper cat, after all XD]

**Marmalade**

"I'm from..." Marmalade looks confused a moment. "Around! I wander a lot. This forest looks kind of familiar though! Of course, so do a lot of forests I've wandered in."

[that is the best accent in all of rpg XD]

**game meowster**

Meowloth nods. "Meowst forests have a lot in commeown".

**Marmalade**

"This one has some neat leaves!"

**game meowster**

"What brings you to Purrwood? And to this catgods-purrsaken village?"

**Pike**

"I was looking for somewhere to settle down... but I don't think it'll be here, somehow!"

**Marmalade**

"I'm just exploring!"

**Lulu**

"I'm going to be a famous purrformer! But this doesn't seem like the right place to do that."

**game meowster**

"If you're looking fur a more kittilised place, Defiance Bay is decent enough."

**Pike**

"I bet there'll be lots of cats to sing to there, Lulu!"

**Lulu**

"We should definitely go there, then! After Cat Nua, of course!"

**game meowster**

"Cat Nua?" Meowloth tilts his head. "Isn't that place just a purruin meowadays?"

**Marmalade**

"If it is, maybe we'll find neat things there!"

**Pike**

"It might be fun to explore another ruin! We might find more milk!"

**Lulu**

"Ooh or another ball!"

**game meowster**

"Meownother purruin?"

**Pike**

"We should try and find another ball for sure!"

**Marmalade**

"I don't think the ruins around here are getting explored enough. Everycat seems weird about going in them. So it's up to us!"

**game meowster**

"That's because meowst cats don't want a Catfathan meowrrow to their hind paws."

**Pike**

"If there are more Catfathans there, maybe Lulu can sing to them again and get us out of trouble!"

**Lulu**

"Yeah! Everyone here seems scared of them, but they were very nice to us!"

**game meowster**

Meowloth comes a little closer. "You did go to the Meowgwithan ruins someowhere?"

**Lulu**

"Yeah! We found milk and catnip and a fun toy, but that's gone now, and some strange cats in masks..."

**Marmalade**

"And catnip!"

**game meowster**

"Cats in meowsks? That's not someowthing you see meowvery day."

**Marmalade**

"They're probably not very comfortable." Marmalade squirms at the thought.

**Pike**

"Yeah, I keep seeing the masked cats out of the corner of my eyes..."

**Lulu**

"Me too! Maybe it will help if we all get that catnap."

**Marmalade**

"It has been a long day!"

**Pike**

"Yeah, and I'm hungry!"

**game meowster**

"Oh! That meowst be troublemeowsome..." Meowloth nods. "A catnap sounds like a meowrvellous idea."

**Marmalade**

"Catnap first or dinner, though?" Marmalade rolls on the ground briefly in indecision.

**game meowster**

Meowloth looks at Marms with horror and disgust.

**Pike**

"I vote dinner!"

**Lulu**

"Dinner sounds great!"

**game meowster**

"Listen, in your catdition..." Meowloth leans in a little. "The are animeowncers in Defiance Bay who could help you." He moves away a bit. "If anymeowne asks, you haven't heard that furom me."

**Marmalade**

"Oh. Do they serve dinner there?"

**game meowster**

"There are meowny inns which serve some excatlent food."

**Marmalade**

Marms purrs at that.

**Pike**

"So dinner, then a catnap, then Cat Nua, then Defiance Bay?"

**Lulu**

"Sounds like the purrfect plan!"

**game meowster**

"Do you think I could accatpany you on this journey?" In a whisper, he adds: "I have a... scientific purroblem on which I need to catsult with the animeowncers."

**Pike**

"The more the meowerrier!"

**Marmalade**

"Sure!"

**Lulu**

"Yeah!"

**Marmalade**

[Pike's picking up his accent? XD]

**game meowster**

[looks purrobable]

Meowloth bows a little again. "Meowny thanks, good cats!"

"I will be waiting furr you here tomeowrrow meowrning."

**Pike**

"See you tomorrow!"

**Lulu**

"In the meantime, try not to get into any more fights!"

**game meowster**

"I will. Meowny thanks for the advice." He nods at you and walks away.

**Pike**

"So who's ready to find something to eat?"

**Marmalade**

"I always am!"

**Lulu**

"Let's go!"

**Marmalade**

[So, how does begging for food at a cat inn work...we go find an empty bowl, stand near it and meow meaningfully at the innkeeper? -D]

[this method always works for Marms in RL]

**game meowster**

[you can try XD]

**Marmalade**

[OK then XD]

Marmalade ventures in and looks around for empty bowls to meow at.

**game meowster**

[perception roll]

**Marmalade**

13!

**game meowster**

You all walk into the inn. It's not crowded, or very loud - the cats there look only barely more sociable than those outside - but it seems nice enough, especially compared to the ruins. And, most important, it smells of food, and not suspicious things than turn out to be bathwater.

Marms, you notice a few half-empty bowls of food on a few tables, but unfortunately they all already have owners.

**Marmalade**

Marmalade wanders a bit near those owners anyway, just in case they are willing to share.

**game meowster**

They all stare at Marms, and not exactly in a friendly way, and push their bowls just a little further away from him.

**Marmalade**

Marms backs away.

**game meowster**

"You're looking for a room?" A brown-grey fluffy cat in an apron calls you.

**Lulu**

"Yes please! And food!"

**Pike**

"Lots of food!"

**game meowster**

"All right. Can you pay for that food, though?" the innkeeper glances at Marms doubtfully.

**Pike**

"Uh... do you need any chores doing?"

**Marmalade**

"I have leaves to trade!"

**Lulu**

"I can sing for it!"

**game meowster**

[purrsuasion roll all]

**Lulu**

[5]

**Marmalade**

[ha that's a 6, very appropriate XD]

**Pike**

18

**game meowster**

"Leaves?" She hisses at Marms. "You think we're some wild Catfathans or what?"

**Lulu**

I pat him on the back. "I think your leaves are very nice, Marms."

**Marmalade**

Marmalade purrs. "Aw, thanks, Lulu! Your songs are very nice too!"

**game meowster**

She turns to Lulu and smiles. "You can sing for food, though. And you..." She turns to Pike. "Oh my catgods! You're so tiny! Sweetheart, are you getting enough food? Why don't you just make your... friend take all those leaves out of my tidy inn, while I get you your dinner and a second helping?"

**Marmalade**

[pffft XD]

**Pike**

I give her the big sad eyes. "I am _very_ hungry..."

**game meowster**

[persuasion roll]

**Pike**

11

**game meowster**

"I'll make it two real big bowls of food, how about that? And some dry food for later?" She goes out from behind the counter and hugs Pike. "Darling, you must try to eat more! What if you'd like to have kittens one day?"

"You can start singing, honey." She smiles at Lulu. Then she glances at Marms. "And your messy friend can stay if there will be no more leaves-shedding."

**Pike**

I purr at her. "Thank you so much!"

**Marmalade**

"Oh no, they're well attached!" Marms turns in a circle to demonstrate; nothing is falling out of that messy fluffy fur anytime soon. "I won't shed anything!"

**Lulu**

I go to the center of the room and start singing

_Might be gone a little while / I guess we'll see / I catta make a home outta somewhere / And you're all ofur this city_

**game meowster**

[Lulu, purrformance roll]

**Lulu**

17

**game meowster**

When you finish, all cats in the inn are clapping their paws. There are even some yowls.

**Lulu**

"Thank you everyone!" I give a little bow.

**Marmalade**

"Nice work, Lulu!"

**Pike**

I also clap.

**game meowster**

"Very nice," the innkeeper compliments. "And here's a very nice dinner for you." She puts four bowls on the counter.

"And there are two free rooms upstairs for when you'll need a catnap." She pats Pike on the head. "Here's your food, sweetheart." And then she returns to work.

**Lulu**

"Thank you!"

**Pike**

"Thank you!" I call after her.

**Marmalade**

"It looks great!"

**Pike**

I eat like I have never been fed before in my life.

**Marmalade**

Marms digs in too.

**Lulu**

Same!

**game meowster**

The innkeeper smiles as she watches Pike eating, and it looks like she even sheds a tear. When you finish, she brings you three big bowls of milk, and also a small bowl of cream for Pike.

**Marmalade**

"Delicious!"

**game meowster**

"And there are no leaves in it, see?"

**Marmalade**

Marmalade looks confused. "Well, no, leaves are fashion, not food."

**game meowster**

"Yes, but they're fashion that could get into food if someone wasn't careful." She disappears into the kitchen and returns with a bag and a bottle of milk, and sets both on the counter in front of Pike. "Here, darling. And if you're still hungry later, just come down here and someone will give you more."

**Pike**

"Thank you!" And I take a big gulp of the milk as well.

**game meowster**

[Pike is now twice her normal size because the two bowls of food were probably as big as she is XD]

The innkeeper takes the empty bowls away and goes back to work.

**Pike**

"So... catnap time?"

**Lulu**

"Yes, I'm very ready for a good sleep!"

**Marmalade**

"Me too!" Marms yawns.

**Pike**

I take the extra snacks the innkeeper gave me and start waddling up to the rooms

**Lulu**

I follow her.

**Marmalade**

Same.

**game meowster**

There are three rooms upstairs. Two are open, and the third door is closed.

**Pike**

I head into the first open one.

**Lulu**

I follow.

**Marmalade**

"Sweet dreams!"

**Lulu**

"Goodnight!"

**Marmalade**

Marms heads for the other room.

**Pike**

"Night Marms!"

**game meowster**

The room has two comfy catbeds and some other necessary cat furniture. The other room is very similar, except it has only one big catbed.

**Pike**

I plop into one of the beds.

**Lulu**

I jump up onto one of the beds, knead the blanket for a while, and then curl up to sleep.

**Pike**

"Night Lulu!"

**Lulu**

"Goodnight!"

**Marmalade**

Marms curls up in a catbed, still adorned with his leaves, and is pretty much instantly asleep.

**game meowster**

Just as you fall asleep, you hear the voices again.

At first, your sleep is undisturbed. But then pleasant dreams of food and milk and warm catbeds are interrupted by those not quite visible, moving shadows, and then you find yourself in another meowmory.

You are in a room with a few pews and a stone altar adorned with leaves and feathers. There are a few braziers in the room that smell faintly of catnip.

It looks like a shrine to one of the catgods.

In front of the altar, there is a very fluffy ginger kitty with very soft-looking fur and big round eyes.

"Bringing the words of catgods to the cats that have never heard them is impurrtant," she says. She seems a little shy but very eager. "But you must remeowmber it is also our task to make their life fluffier! And because of that, today we will be training cat hugs!"

[yes I totally put catFluff in there 3 ]

"Who would like to go first?" she asks and looks around the room.

"Looks like you might need help to demeownstrate a proper cat hug." The big black cat with green eyes enters the chapel. This time, he's not wearing a mask, just the somewhat familiar robes.

He comes closer and the shy ginger kitty demonstrates a very fluffy cat hug.

[will save/roll]

**Marmalade**

9!

**Pike**

17

**Lulu**

16

**game meowster**

Marms that cat hug is so cute and fluffy it almost moves you to tears. Pike and Lulu, you find it pretty cute too.

"All right!" The ginger kitty claps her front paws. "Who would like to try next?"

[and now it's time to introduce your Catquisitors!]

**Marmalade**

[are we all three in the dream together or each separately dreaming? oh - maybe doesn't matter with catquisitors!]

**game meowster**

[separately, but you're dreaming of the same memory so you're kinda all in it because you knew each other as catquisitors. not that you know what Catquisition is at this point XD]

**Lulu**

I'm a sleek brown cat with dark brown brindle markings and spots. I watch the very cute cat hug in silence, then step forward and say, "I'll try."

**game meowster**

[roll for cat hug!]

**Lulu**

[...natural 1 XD ]

**game meowster**

You attempt a cat hug, but trip over and manage not to fall as you hold on to the ginger kitty for balance, but you stomp on her paw and then on her fluffy tail. She gives a quiet hiss of pain, but immediately smiles and pats your back. "It's all right. I'm sure you'll get the hang of it."

**Marmalade**

[oh what a time for a nat1! XD]

**game meowster**

"You can purractice with me for a while," the black cat says.

[also, it's time for you to somewhat define your catquisitor's relationship with Thaos. unless you wanna roll for it XD]

**Marmalade**

[I'm gonna continue the "Cats from my parents' house/neighborhood" theme and be a coffee kitty for my catquisitor -D]

**Lulu**

[i'm good with rolling for it? are we all going to do that?]

**Marmalade**

[Roll for it sounds good to me too]

**Pike**

[Roll for it! Let the dice decide lol!]

**game meowster**

[ok so do you wanna reroll if someone gets the same result?]

**Lulu**

[yeah that sounds good]

**Pike**

[Sounds good!]

**Marmalade**

[Sure!]

**game meowster**

[ok, so everyone roll for relationship XD]

**Lulu**

[d20?]

**game meowster**

[yep]

**Marmalade**

11

**Pike**

3

**Lulu**

20

[now i get a 20]

**Pike**

[Nice, Lulu!]

**game meowster**

[oh my goodness... XD]

Pike, you're just one of the Grandmeowster's new acolytes, and you don't know him very well.

[hmm your Catquisitors might need names too...]

Marms, you don't know the Grandmeowster very well either - none of you does - but he has already become somewhat of a father figure to you.

Lulu, like others, you don't know the Grandmeowster well yet, but you are already sure you have never met a cat like him in your entire life, and have a tiny little crush on him.

**Lulu**

My eyes go wide at his comment about practicing cat hugs, and I nod and then step back to let someone else try. [and my catquisitor's name is Cinnamon]

**game meowster**

[is your Catquisitor's surname Roll? XD]

**Lulu**

[it is now!]

**Marmalade**

[Not sure what the coffee kitties' real names are - there are/were three of them living across the street from my parents but visiting frequently because I don't think their owners over there fed them very well :-( - but I called her Mocha so that'll be my coffee catquisitor's name!]

[Aloth probably would call her Meowcha though XD]

[also she's definitely a triplet just like the real Mocha. three identical black cats with a bit of brown at the tips of their fur!]

**Pike**

I step forwards when they are done. I'm a hairless sphinx cat, pink and grey skinned with big green eyes and very big sticky-up ears! I was originally a meownk from the Meowing Lands called Bramble.

**game meowster**

The ginger kitty smiles at Mocha and Bramble. "Who's next?"

**Marmalade**

Mocha shrugs at Bramble. "Do you wanna?"

**game meowster**

Meanwhile, the black cat glances at Cinnamon but doesn't say anything.

**Pike**

"I'll try," I say, a little shy.

**game meowster**

[roll for cat hug]

**Pike**

9

**game meowster**

You perform a pretty decent cat hug. "See?" The ginger kitty smiles at you encouragingly. "You can give fluffy hugs even when you're hairless! Oh... Sorry, I hope you don't mind... I didn't meown...."

**Pike**

I smile back a little, quietly pleased at my hugging ability.

**game meowster**

"Acolyte Mocha?" the ginger kitty smiles.

**Marmalade**

"Oh that's me!"

**game meowster**

[roll for cat hug]

**Marmalade**

12!

**game meowster**

It's a very good and solid cat hug. "Wonderfur!" The ginger kitty claps her paws. "Now please, keep training in pairs, while me and the Grandmeowster will help with your hugging technique..."

The dream dissolves into a flurry of very fluffy cat hugs. You wake up in your catbeds at the inn, not sure where you are at first. And even when you realize that, still not exactly sure who you are.

**Marmalade**

Marms has somehow ended up upside down, back to the floor, hugging the cat bed itself.

**game meowster**

[imagine Marms' trauma when he'll recall Mocha doesn't have any leaves in her fur... XD]

**Marmalade**

[even more so when he recalls any kittens Mocha may have had... XD]

**Pike**

"I think I ate too much," I say to Lulu. "I had a dream that I had no fur!"

**Lulu**

"Yeah, I had a weird dream too! It felt a lot less fluffy!"

**Pike**

I puff up just to check my fur is still all there.

**game meowster**

[perception roll]

**Pike**

15

**game meowster**

Your fur is all still here.

**Marmalade**

Meanwhile Marmalade double-checks that his leaves and twigs are all still in place and wanders out into the hall to wait for the girls.

**game meowster**

[perception roll]

**Marmalade**

8!

**game meowster**

Most of the leaves and twigs are in place. You're not sure about one or two.

**Marmalade**

Wellll, he wears extra for a reason XD

**Lulu**

I lay in bed and try to remember more about the dream. "I think the cat in my dream is the same one we saw back in the ruins! That's weird, right?"

**Pike**

"That is weird. Do you remember who he is?"

**Lulu**

[how much would i remember at this point?]

**game meowster**

[just whatever was in the dream, so you'd know you're an acolyte of one of the catgods or something, that the black cat was your mentor, and that you were in a temple learning cat hugs]

**Lulu**

"He was someone important, I think? Like a teacher, and he was teaching hugs!"

**Pike**

"I had that same dream! There was one cat there who was pretty bad at hugging, though!"

**Lulu**

"We had the same dream! That was me, which is _super_ weird because I'm great at hugs!"

**Pike**

"Wow, do you think we were friends in the dream too?"

**Lulu**

"I hope so!"

**Pike**

"Do you think Marms had that dream too? I remember there was another cat with us!"

**Lulu**

"Let's go ask him!"

**Pike**

I head out to find Marms.

**Marmalade**

Marms is sniffing at all the furniture in the hallway/landing now.

**Pike**

"Hi Marms! This is kind of a weird question but did you have a funny dream last night?"

**Marmalade**

He chirps in greeting and looks momentarily puzzled. "Yeah, it was weird! Some sort of class? Lots of hugging. No snacks."

**Lulu**

"We did all have the same dream!"

**Marmalade**

"Yours didn't have snacks either?"

**Pike**

"No snacks, just hugs!"

**Lulu**

"No fish at all!"

**Marmalade**

"Hmmm." His tail twitches thoughtfully. "Maybe they used hugs to catch fish?"

**Lulu**

"Ooooh, that's genius!"

**Pike**

"They'd have to get pretty wet though!"

**Marmalade**

"But then they'd have fish. Maybe it's worth it?"

**Pike**

I shiver a bit. "Maybe if it was a really big fish!"

**Lulu**

"Speaking of fish, want to get breakfast?"

**Marmalade**

"After speaking of fish I definitely want to get breakfast!"

**Pike**

"I'm hungry again!"

**Lulu**

"Let's go!" And I go back down to the main room

**Pike**

I follow!

**Marmalade**

Same!

**game meowster**

And that's a perfect moment to end tonight's session!


	3. Chapter 3

**game meowster**

You get down to the main room of The Black Cat Inn for breakfast. At this hour, it's empty, save for the innkeeper and you.

She wags her tail when she sees you. "Breakfast is almost ready, sweetheart!" she calls to Pike.

**Pike**

"Thank you!" I say back to her, excited at the prospect of more food!

**game meowster**

After a moment, she brings you a bowl of dry food, another of cat cookies, and three big bowls of milk, again with a smaller bowl of cream for Pike. "Here you go. Enjoy your food, darlings." She glances at Marms. "You too, Mr. Messy."

**Marmalade**

Marms purrs. "Okay! Thanks!"

**Lulu**

"Thank you!"

**Pike**

"Thank you!"

**game meowster**

"Will you be staying here tonight too?" she calls from behind the counter.

**Lulu**

"Nope, we're moving on today! But we'll sure miss the great food!"

**game meowster**

"Want some supplies for the road?"

**Marmalade**

"Ooooh, yes please!"

**Pike**

"Yes please! I don't know how long we'll be travelling for!"

**game meowster**

"All right. Get to eating before the milk gets cold, and I'll prepare something."

**Marmalade**

Marmalade happily plunks his face down in the milk.

**Pike**

I slurp up mine too.

**Lulu**

Same!

**game meowster**

[too cute I can't <3]

**Marmalade**

[The true main quest: Making gamemeowster.exe stop from cuteness as often as possible -D]

**game meowster**

[accomplished every session]

When you finish eating, the innkeeper brings you a few bags of food and three bottles of milk. "So, where are you going? Or just wandering around?"

**Pike**

"Defiance Bay, eventually! Though we're probably going to make a few stops on the way."

**Marmalade**

"We're on a mission of cat hugs!" Marmalade pauses, licking milk from his whiskers. "Oh no, wait, that was just the dream. I think?"

**game meowster**

The innkeeper glances at Marms warily. "No hugs, thanks..."

**Lulu**

"There may still be cat hugs on our journey!"

**Pike**

"Just because it was in a dream doesn't mean we can't do it now!"

**game meowster**

The innkeeper nods. "It's a very noble quest." She glances at Marms and the leaves and twigs in his fur again. "Meow, like in general. You know. Not right now."

**Pike**

"How far is it to Defiance Bay, anyway?" I ask her.

**game meowster**

"About three days from here?" Her whiskers move. "Not sure, sweetheart, sorry. Never been there."

**Pike**

"That's not so far! We've already come much further than that!"

**Lulu**

"Do you know how far it is to Cat Nua?"

**game meowster**

[she does but the gm has to check the map]

"About two-three days, too. But why would you want to go there? Cats tell scary stories about that place."

**Lulu**

"Ooh, what sorts of stories?"

**game meowster**

"You know... ghosts and stuff." She looks around, a little scared, then leans in a little, lowering her voice. "Cats say the old Meowcher went mad..."

**Pike**

"I'm not scared of any ghosts! Or any mad Meowchers!"

**Marmalade**

"Sounds like someone oughta go explore and see if the stories are true!" Marmalade leaps from his chair, prancing around in full explorer mode.

**Lulu**

"Yeah! Let's go see what's out there!"

**game meowster**

"Well, certainly no ghosts here, Mr. Messy."

**Marmalade**

"Time for us to go find some, then!"

**game meowster**

"And better don't go to Cat Nua." She glances at you all sternly. "But if you do, be careful."

**Pike**

"We will be!"

**game meowster**

She pats Lulu's paw and then hugs Pike. "And remember to eat well, sweetheart."

**Marmalade**

"I'm always careful!" says Marms, scratching at an old scar behind his ear.

**Pike**

I hug her back.

**game meowster**

[cat hug roll]

**Pike**

13

**game meowster**

She steps back and pats your head. "Safe travels, kittens!"

**Marmalade**

"Thanks!"

**Lulu**

"Thank you, goodbye!"

**Pike**

"Thank you for everything!"

"I guess we should find those other two cats and see if they still want to come."

**Marmalade**

"Right!"

**Lulu**

"Good idea!"

**Pike**

I quickly finish my breakfast and get ready to go.

**game meowster**

[those cats aren't going to teleport in here, you have to go out]

**Marmalade**

We head on out!

**Pike**

Yes let's go!

**Lulu**

I follow!

**game meowster**

Meowloth is waiting near the door, and you notice him as soon as you go out. "Good meowrning." He bows a little.

**Marmalade**

"Hi there!" Marmalade purrs.

**Pike**

"Morning!"

**Lulu**

"Good morning! Ready to go?"

**game meowster**

He takes a deep breath and gives you a polite smile. "As purready as can be."

**Lulu**

"Great! Now we just need to find Catér!" And I look around to see if I see him around.

**Marmalade**

Marmalade sniffs to see if catnip is being smoked nearby.

**game meowster**

"Catér?" Meowloth is surprised. "Who's that?"

[L & M, perception roll]

**Marmalade**

20! Ha that is an interesting time to roll that! XD

**Lulu**

[pfft 5]

**game meowster**

Marms, you have some experience with catnip, and you can practically see the trace of smoke leading to the gloomy tree in the middle of the village.

Lulu, after a while you notice Catér is standing right where you met him yesterday.

**Marmalade**

"Back to the tree!"

**Lulu**

"Oh! There he is! Come on, Meowloth, you can meet our other new friend!"

**Pike**

I start to head over to the tree!

**Marmalade**

Marms heads there too.

**game meowster**

Meowloth smiles politely, but doesn't look convinced. "Do I have to?"

**Lulu**

"Yep!" And I follow the others.

**game meowster**

Meowloth trails after you. Reluctantly.

Catér, on the other paw, seems happy and he smiles when he sees you. "Hi there!"

**Pike**

"Morning!"

**Lulu**

"Hello again!"

**Marmalade**

"Hi! Ready to go?"

**game meowster**

He stops smoking for a while, reaches into his bag and offers Marms a pipe. "There you go, friend."

Catér grins. "Yeah, I think we're ready now."

**Marmalade**

"Aw thanks!"

**game meowster**

"And who's that?" He looks at Meowloth. "Hello there! Catér Purrlecg. Sorry, don't have a third pipe. But I can make you one."

Meowloth gives another polite but slightly pained smile. "Meowloth Catfiser. And meowny thanks, but that won't be meowcessary."

Catér shrugs. "Suit yourself. Can't force cats to appreciate what's good in life if they don't know it, right, Marms?"

**Marmalade**

"I know! It's weird!" Marms takes that opportunity to appreciate the nearest leaf.

**Lulu**

I turn to Meowloth. "Catér is going to help us get to Cat Nua." I turn to Catér. "And then Meowloth is going to help us find animeowncers in Defiance Bay. So we'll all be traveling together!"

**Pike**

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready to see the back of this tree!"

**Marmalade**

Marmalade looks up. "Why? Is it more interesting on the other side?"

**Pike**

"I think it's just as bad on the other side!"

**Marmalade**

"Aw. Let's go see what the trees at Cat Nua are like, then!"

**Lulu**

"That sounds good to me!"

**Pike**

"Let's get out of here!"

**game meowster**

"That tree might actually look better on the other side." Catér points at the ground. "Fluffy and cutie are right, though, we should get out of here."

Meowloth nods. "One thing we can meowgree on."

**Marmalade**

Marmalade takes off down the road, opposite from the way we came in, but with no idea if that's the one to Cat Nua...

**Pike**

[Meowloth's accent is the best thing!]

**Marmalade**

[It is! That works so surpurrizingly well for Aedyran XD]

**Pike**

I follow after Marms. "Hey, wait up!"

**Lulu**

I run after. "I thought Catér was leading the way?"

**Marmalade**

Marms slows down for the others to catch up.

"Oh, right! Which way, Catér?"

**game meowster**

"I'm fine with Marms leading, if he wants." Catér smiles. "Not sure we'll get to Cat Nua that way, though."

"Ok, catteam, follow me!"

**Lulu**

I follow!

**Marmalade**

Off we go!

**Pike**

I follow too!

**game meowster**

Catér leads you through the forest, smoking his pipe and chatting with Marms about catnip. Meowloth trails at the end, obviously unhappy with such lack of kittilisation everywhere.

After a few hours, you notice a tall statue at the side of the road. There is a shabby cat standing near it, holding a staff. There is some ash in his fur.

Meowloth looks at Catér, then at the new cat, and whines quietly.

The shabby cat points his staff in your direction. "You! Meowchers!"

**Marmalade**

"Who? Us?"

**Lulu**

"Hi!"

**Pike**

"Hello there!"

**game meowster**

"Yes, you!" His eyes narrow. "See any other Meowchers here?"

**Lulu**

I look around for any Meowchers.

**game meowster**

[roll for purrception XD]

**Pike**

"I thought the Meowcher was in Cat Nua?"

**Lulu**

[2]

**Marmalade**

"Are we at Cat Nua already?"

**game meowster**

Lulu, you don't see other Meowchers here... but you can't be sure, can you? It's not really something which shows that much.

"You're at Meowgran's Fork!"

**Lulu**

"Hmmm...I guess any of us could be Meowchers!"

**Pike**

"Surely you'd know if you were, right?"

**game meowster**

"I'm purretty certain I'm not..." Meowloth starts speaking.

"Not you!" The shabby cats points at Marms. "You." Then at Lulu. "And you." Then at Pike. "And you."

"I'm going with you."

**Pike**

"You don't know where we're going, though?"

**game meowster**

"It's the road that matters. We'll see what you're made of, Meowchers." The statue behind him bursts into fire. "See if you can pass Meowgran's trials."

"He's kinda crazy, isn't he?" Catér whispers to you under his breath. "But funny. Let's keep him."

**Marmalade**

"Whoa!" Marms wiggles his whiskers at the fire.

**Lulu**

"Whoa, neat trick!"

**Marmalade**

"Can you do that for the catnip in my pipe?"

**Pike**

"What's your name, anyway?"

**game meowster**

The shabby cat smiles unpleasantly. "I can do that for your pipe. And tail, if you keep asking questions like that."

**Marmalade**

Marmalade gives his tail a look that suggests he is seriously considering it.

**game meowster**

"I'm Purrance, purriest of Meowgran, catgoddess of fire, scratches and bath bombs."

**Lulu**

"Welcome to our group of friends, Purrance!"

**Marmalade**

"Bath!" Marms growls a bit.

**Pike**

"Nice to meet you, Purrance!"

**game meowster**

"Friends?" Purrance looks a little disgusted.

[you can roll for charm if you want, L & P]

**Lulu**

[16]

**Pike**

[18]

[Lol we're charming!]

**game meowster**

"Yeah, bath." Purrance grins. It looks mildly unsettling. "We Meowgranites have the best of nasty stuff in all of Purrwood."

He glances at Lulu and Pike. "Friends, you say?" He blinks, surprised. "Actually, it doesn't sound so bad. Meow, nice to meet you?" He definitely seems surprised by what he's saying.

[he rolled like a 12 and 4 against your rolls XD]

**Marmalade**

[you're VERY charming! XD]

**game meowster**

[at this rate, half of Purrwood is gonna be your friends, and the other half is gonna either be in love with Lulu and Pike or wanna adopt them XD]

**Marmalade**

[that sounds about right!]

Marms sniffs at Mister Shabby. "You don't look like there are baths around. So, welcome to the group!"

**game meowster**

"It's battle baths, fool," Purrance corrects. "For others, not for me." He looks over Marms. "Doesn't look like you know what bath is, anyway. Or even washing."

"See?" Catér grins. "Funny."

**Marmalade**

Marms just tilts his head in confusion at the mention of washing.

**game meowster**

Meowloth just rolls his eyes with a sigh.

**Pike**

"Well, we're going to Cat Nua to talk to the old Meowcher there!"

**game meowster**

Purrance's whiskers move. "That's gonna be interesting." He smiles. "Yeah, definitely."

"All right, catteam, let's go!" Catér points at the road ahead. "We can chat on the way."

**Lulu**

Onwards!

**Pike**

Let's go!

**Marmalade**

Yep!

**game meowster**

As you walk, Purrance moves over to Lulu and Pike. "Listen..." he says quietly, glancing around if others can hear. "That friendship thing... How does it work?"

[you brought this on yourselves XD]

**Lulu**

[if anyone can teach him the power of friendship, it's adorable kitties!]

**Marmalade**

[it's a cat hugs mission after all!]

**Lulu**

"Oh, it's easy! When you're nice to someone and you help them out, it makes you friends!"

**game meowster**

Purrance blinks, surprised. "When you're what to someone?"

**Pike**

"When you share food, or play together, or just talk!"

**game meowster**

His whiskers move as he thinks. "...it's gonna be a long road, isn't it?" he asks, rolling his eyes a little.

**Pike**

"Not when you have friends!"

**game meowster**

"Hm. Guess I might give it a try..."

**Lulu**

"Yay! This'll be great!"

**Pike**

"It's going to be fun!"

**game meowster**

Behind you, Meowloth whines quietly. "Meowbe I'll wait fur you in Defiance Bay?"

**Marmalade**

Marmalade gasps. "Meowloth! Don't you wanna see the trees in Cat Nua?"

**Lulu**

"What's wrong, Meowloth? You're our friend too, you know!"

**Pike**

"Yeah, we're all friends now!"

**game meowster**

Meowloth and Purrance glance at each other. "Do we have to be friends/furriends too?" they ask at once.

**game meowster**

"I won't throw a meowgic meowssile at him."

"And I won't set his tail or grimeowire on fire."

**Marmalade**

"Purrrfect!"

**Lulu**

"That's a good start! Keep working in that direction and we'll all be the best friends in no time!"

**game meowster**

"No, that's the end of working," Purrance says.

Meowloth nods. "As meowch as it pains me to catdmit it, I meowst agree with him."

**Lulu**

"See, you're already agreeing!"

**Pike**

"We're having fun already!"

**game meowster**

[another purrsuasion roll if you want]

**Lulu**

[13]

**Pike**

[9]

**game meowster**

They both look at Lulu. Then at Pike. Then back at Lulu.

"Meowell, if you put it that way..." Meowloth seems to be considering it.

Purrance sighs. "Does that friendship thing with you require that?" he asks Lulu.

**Lulu**

"Well, it would help!"

**game meowster**

"Okay, then."

[Lulu rolled just high enough to persuade them XD]

**Lulu**

"Wonderful!"

**game meowster**

"So, what do you do?" Purrance asks. "Aside from Meowchering? And what are you doing in Purrwood?"

**Lulu**

"I'm a singer! Or at least, I came here to become one!"

**Marmalade**

"She's really good!"

**Lulu**

"Aww, thanks!"

**game meowster**

"Can you sing something?" Purrance asks.

"Yeah!" Catér glances at you over his shoulder. [um or whatever cats have] "That would make travelling much nicer!"

**Lulu**

"Absolutely!" And I start meowing and singing.

**game meowster**

[you must now find and kittify a song fragment XD]

**Lulu**

I sing, "Flowers, I remembepurr fields Of flowers, soft beneath my paws, Walking in the sun, I remembepurr someone, Someone by my side, Turned his face to mine, And then I turned paway, Into the shade."

**game meowster**

[purrformance roll]

**Lulu**

[15]

**Pike**

"Aw, that's lovely, Lulu!"

**Marmalade**

Marmalade applauds and tosses an appreciative leaf to Lulu.

**Lulu**

"Thank you everyone!" I take the leaf and put it in my bag.

**game meowster**

Purrance and Catér clap their paws.

Meowloth sniffs. "You never mentioned there's a tragic love story in your past... That's what you came here to do, right? Find that cat from the song?"

**Lulu**

I tilt my head and think about that for a second, then perk up again. "Oh, it's just a song! It's not a true story."

**game meowster**

"Oh." Meowloth's ears drop a little. "You were very convincing."

"Yeah, now that you mentioned it..." Purrance looks at Lulu.

[roll for bluff while he rolls for insight XD]

**Lulu**

[6]

**game meowster**

[12]

[is it just a song?]

**Lulu**

[yeah, it's just a song]

"Well, making things convincing is part of being a good purrformer! And I've always liked love songs!"

**game meowster**

"Well, there goes an interesting story." Purrance seems somewhat disappointed.

**Lulu**

"I can make something up if you'd like that better!"

**game meowster**

"You're very convincing, though. Very good purrformance."

He leans in. "That's what friends do? That's that 'being nice' thing?" he asks in a whispurr.

**Pike**

"That was very good!"

**game meowster**

Meowloth rolls his eyes. "Catgods, spare us..."

"Meow, come on, he's funny." Catér grins. "Ok, catteam, just a while more and we can stop for the night and for supper! Come on!"

**Marmalade**

Marmalade perks up at the promise of supper and walks faster.

**game meowster**

And that's where we'll end tonight's session.


	4. Chapter 4

**game meowster**

As the sun starts setting, you stop for the night on the edge of the forest. Catér starts collecting wood to make fire, and Purrance reluctantly helps him. Meowloth sits on the grass and starts brushing dust and leaves off his robe.

**Marmalade**

Marmalade checks out the leaves Meowloth is disposing of to see if any are worth keeping.

**game meowster**

[perception roll]

**Marmalade**

2!

**game meowster**

You're not really sure if Meowloth did have any leaves on his robes at all, because you barely see any on the grass. Maybe he's just pretending to be cleaning while he hides them somewhere?

**Marmalade**

Marms watches him suspiciously for a moment and then bounds off to find his own leaves.

**Pike**

I look through our catbags for the supplies the innkeeper gave us.

**Lulu**

I'll help set up the campfire and dinner.

"How much longer to Cat Nua?" I ask Catér when he gets back.

**game meowster**

When Catér and Purrance bring the wood, Purrance lights the fire.

"Just a day or two, fluffy." Catér smiles. "But it's gonna be a nice trip in this company."

**Lulu**

"Yeah, we've got a pretty good team put together!"

**Pike**

"Yeah! It's nice to have so many new friends!"

**game meowster**

Catér grins. "Yeah, isn't it?"

Purrance grumbles something and tries to smile. It looks mildly unsettling.

**Lulu**

I nod encouragingly at the attempt.

**game meowster**

[persuasion roll]

**Lulu**

[6]

**game meowster**

Apparently, this is as much effort as Purrance is willing to put into furriendship after such a long day.

"Meow, maybe we'll prepare food and you could sing, fluffy?" Catér suggests.

**Lulu**

"Sure! I'm always happy to sing!"

**game meowster**

[time to kittify another song!]

[+ purrformance roll]

**Lulu**

"And you meow that you're not worth it / And get hung up on your flaws / But in my eyes you are purrfect / As you are / As you are"

[10]

**game meowster**

About halfway through the song, Catér starts purring the tune.

**Pike**

"That was lovely, Lulu!"

**Lulu**

I give a little bow. "Thank you!"

**Marmalade**

Marms applauds and tosses her a leaf of appreciation.

**Lulu**

I accept the leaf and tuck it into my bag.

**Pike**

"You'll nearly have as many leaves as Marms soon!"

**Marmalade**

"They make a great collector's item!"

**Lulu**

"Yeah! They're very nice! Just maybe not in my fur."

**game meowster**

"You could make a leaf crown if you had enough!" Catér suggests. "And maybe toss in some flowers?"

**Marmalade**

"That'd be pretty!"

**Lulu**

"Ooh, that'd be so cute!"

I look around to see if there are any flowers to collect.

**game meowster**

"Meow, you're already cute." Catér smiles at Lulu. Then at Pike. "You too."

**Lulu**

"Aww, thank you!"

**Pike**

"Maybe Marms can help you find some!" I say to Lulu.

**Marmalade**

"Sure! Mostly I find leaves but sometimes there are flowers attached to them!"

**Pike**

And "Aw, thanks!" to Catér.

**game meowster**

"You two look for flowers, and we'll finish preparing food," Catér meows.

[Lulu, perception roll. Marms too if you're looking for flowers]

**Marmalade**

2 again! XD

**Lulu**

[18!]

**game meowster**

Marms, all you find are some sow thistles.

Lulu, you find some lovely purrgrim's crowns, daisies, and a wild rose bush.

Meanwhile, at the campfire, Catér approaches Pike. "Got any milk in your stash? I know a recipe for a really mean catnip sauce, we could put in on dry food."

Meowloth hesitantly comes over to Pike too. "Meowbe we could warm some of that meowlk?"

**Pike**

"Yes! We found this magic milk in the ruins, we only drank a bit, I'm sure there is enough left!"

**Marmalade**

"I've got some of the catnip we found there too!"

**game meowster**

"Meowgic meowlk?" Meowloth sniffs in the air.

"Magic?" Purrance joins you. "Never seen magic milk so far."

**Lulu**

While they're talking I'm trying to make a crown out of all the flowers I gathered.

**game meowster**

[roll for it XD]

**Marmalade**

Marms offers Lulu the thistles to add to the crown, possibly also with a pawful of catnip after he's been digging in his catbags. :-D

**Pike**

"Maybe it's just the bottle that's magic?" I suggest and let them see it.

**Lulu**

[9]

**game meowster**

Purrance and Meowloth sniff at the bottle and milk.

"Dunno... maybe..."

"This is just repurrlar meowlk. No meowgic at all, I'm meowfraid."

Lulu, while they're talking, you manage to make a decent flower crown. It certainly smells nice, with that catnip.

**Pike**

"Oh well! It still tastes good!"

**Lulu**

I thank Marm for the help and happily put the crown on, and then wander over for some milk.

**game meowster**

[Lulu, every time you put the crown on, and every morning and evening while you wear it, you have to roll for catnip]

**Lulu**

[natural 20 XD ]

**game meowster**

No matter how the crown looks, it at least makes you smell very nice and you know it. And you definitely feel pretty enough on your own.

[basically nat 20 on catnip just gave you a confidence boost]

You eat dinner, and start getting ready to sleep.

"I'll take the first watch," Catér offers. "Marms, wanna stay up for a smoke?"

**Marmalade**

"Sure!" Marms prances around in a happy circle.

**game meowster**

Purrance's whiskers twitch. "Catnip?"

Catér nods.

Purrance takes out a pipe and joins the other two.

Catér looks at Pike, Lulu and Meowloth. "Try to get some sleep, kittens. You're taking next watch."

**Lulu**

I find a nice spot to curl up and go to sleep.

**Marmalade**

Marmalade finishes chasing his own tail and settles down next to Catér with his pipe.

**Pike**

"Night everyone!" And I pretty much instantly fall asleep.

**game meowster**

[roll for dreams]

**Lulu**

[13]

**Pike**

[16]

**game meowster**

Lulu, you do hear some of the familiar whispurrs, but manage to get some decent sleep.

Pike, your sleep is undisturbed, and you even briefly dream of food.

[Marms, perception roll]

**Marmalade**

16

**game meowster**

Just before the end of your watch, you spot a catsquirrel near your camp.

**Marmalade**

Marms sneaks closer for a better look at this new wonder!

**game meowster**

[stealth roll]

**Pike**

[Catsquirrel sounds adorable!]

**Marmalade**

8!

**game meowster**

It seems the catsquirrel doesn't notice you at all, even though you come very close.

[poor thing rolled a 1]

**Marmalade**

"Mrrrp?" Marms waves a paw towards it as a very friendly invitation/inquiry.

**game meowster**

The catsquirrel jumps, frightened, squeals and runs away.

**Marmalade**

Marms chases it!

**game meowster**

"Marms!" Catér calls. "Marms, stop!"

Lulu and Pike, you're woken by Catér's screams.

**Marmalade**

Marms trips over his own paws, rolls over, and looks back at Catér. 

**game meowster**

Meowloth wakes up, too. "What's meowing on?" he asks sleepily.

**Lulu**

I blink sleepily and look around. "Mrow? What was that?"

**Pike**

"Do I need to fight something?"

**game meowster**

Purrance shakes his head. "We might need to tie your friend down for the night."

"Nah, it's fine, puffy," Catér reassures. "Marms just saw a catsquirrel and wanted to run after it."

Meowloth gets up. "Meowrmalade, we're suppawsed to go to Cat Nua. Not after catsquirrels."

**Marmalade**

Marms whines. "But what about chasing catsquirrels on the way?"

**Pike**

[Meowrmalade! <3]

"There's more food in the pack if you're hungry, Marms," I tell him, then instantly fall back asleep.

**game meowster**

Catér looks appawed by the idea."Aw, why would you want to hunt catsquirrels when they're so cute and fluffy?"

**Marmalade**

"Maybe I should uh...patrol around the camp and make sure there aren't any more of them sneaking up on us?"

**game meowster**

Catér, Purrance and Meowloth look at Marms. "Marms/Meowrms, NO!"

"Chasing catsquirrels on the way seems more reasonable," Purrance says. "But how could you tell which way they're going? Wanna ask them or what?"

**Marmalade**

Marms tilts his head looking puzzled. "Well, I'd know where they're going if I was following them."

**game meowster**

Purrance rolls his eyes. "That's it. Next time we just tie him up."

**Lulu**

"Hey Marms, why don't you take your turn sleeping and I'll take watch. Maybe you'll dream about hunting catsquirrels!"

**Marmalade**

Marms sighs. "Aw, okay."

**game meowster**

"I'm afuraid I won't be getting meowch meowre sleep tonight." Meowloth nods. "Meowght just take watch."

Catér happily curls up near the fire. "Goodnight, then, kittens!"

**Lulu**

"Good night!"

**game meowster**

Purrance grumbles something and in a moment he is snoring.

**Lulu**

I sit at attention near the fire and keep an eye out for any more catsquirrels.

**game meowster**

[perception roll]

**Pike**

I wake up when Purrance starts snoring and go and join Lulu.

**Lulu**

[2]

**Marmalade**

Marms lies down but keeps one eye open in the direction of the catsquirrel...for a while, at least!

**game meowster**

Lulu, it seems there are no catsquirrels in sight.

[Pike, perception roll; Marms - dreams roll]

**Pike**

7

**Marmalade**

17

**game meowster**

Pike, you don't notice any catsquirrels either.

Marms, sadly you don't dream of catsquirrels, but at least there are leaves and food.

In the morning, you wake up, get some breakfast, and continue travelling.

[Lulu, catnip roll if you're wearing the crown]

**Lulu**

[6]

**game meowster**

Lulu is walking at the rear, her paws getting tangled from time to time.

The day is calm, and you travel fast. By early evening, you see a great stone keep on the horizon.

"Here it is," Catér says. "Cat Nua."

**Pike**

"It's big!"

**Marmalade**

"Hurray!" Marmalade sniffs around. "So....what does a Meowcher smell like? He's in there somewhere, right?"

**game meowster**

"A Meowcher smells like madness," Purrance explains. "Sooner or later."

**Lulu**

"What does madness smell like?"

**Marmalade**

"Does it smell like catnip?"

**game meowster**

"Meowdness?" Meowloth seems a little unnerved.

Catér smiles bravely. "Meowell, only one way to find out, right, catteam?"

**Lulu**

"Yeah! Let's go!"

**Pike**

"I'm not scared of any old Meowcher, no matter how bad he smells!"

**game meowster**

As you approach, you notice a cat waiting near the gate, beside a broken wall. He has short ginger or yellowish fur and some stripes.

**game meowster**

"Hello?" he calls to you. "Any chance you're a team of catventurers?"

**Lulu**

"We are! How could you tell?"

**game meowster**

"I couldn't. Just hoping some might come my way. I need help." He smiles. "I'm Cata Purrua, by the way. From Rawrautai."

**Pike**

"I'm from Rawrautai too! Nice to meetcha!"

**game meowster**

Your catpanions introduce themselves as well.

"Meow!" Cata beams. "Nice to see someone from home all the way here!"

**Marmalade**

"Hi! I'm Marmalade! What do you need help with?"

**Lulu**

"And I'm Lulu! We're here to meet the Meowcher!"

**game meowster**

"Looking for a book. Or something like that. It's called Catvii Purra Toha. A sacred Rawrautaian text on how to be a proper cat." Cata points at the keep. "It's supposed to be inside."

"So, meow, if you're going to meet the Meowcher, could you look for it for me?"

**Marmalade**

"We're great at finding things in ruins!" Marmalade spins around.

**game meowster**

Cata beams. "Wonderfur!"

Meowloth glances at the keep. "Pawctually... Meowbe I'll stay here while you accatpany them inside?" he suggests.

Cata shrugs. "Sure, why not. Just didn't want to go in alone."

**Pike**

"Didn't you want to talk to the Meowcher?"

**game meowster**

"That was me," Catér says.

"I wanted to catsult with the animeowncers in Defiance Bay," Meowloth explains.

**Lulu**

"Are you sure, Meowloth? We might find more toys!"

**Marmalade**

"Yeah, you should come with us!"

**game meowster**

"He's right." Purrance says. "This group is too small for all of us to fit in."

"As meowch as it pains me to pawgree, he's right."

[persuasion roll]

**Marmalade**

6!

**Lulu**

19

**Pike**

16

**game meowster**

Meowloth looks at Lulu and Pike. "Meow, if you insist so meowch..."

Purrance glances at Lulu. "That's that friendship thing again, huh?"

**Lulu**

"Yeah! Friends stick together!"

**Pike**

"Yeah, it is!"

**game meowster**

"...if I must." Purrance seems surprised that you were able to purrsuade him.

"Ok, catteam," Catér calls, a bit more quietly than usual, "let's go!"

**Lulu**

"Right!" And I follow after him.

**Marmalade**

"Huzzah!" Marms follows too.

**game meowster**

When you enter the courtyard, you see the keep is even bigger than it seemed. There are a few more buildings around, all of them more or less ruined.

There is also a giant cat paw made of meowdra, sticking out from under the ground.

**Lulu**

"Ooh, look at that! It's kind of pretty!"

**Pike**

"It is! How do you think it got there?"

**Marmalade**

"Can we play with it?"

**game meowster**

Purrance glances at Marms. "Can we tie him up already?"

"There's..." Catér scratches his ear. "A legend or something. That there was a king of an ancient cat empire, Od Nua, and this was his keep, and it's his statue. Or a statue of one of his kittens maybe?"

"Anyway, it's old. Might be Meowgwithan. Like, not the keep itself, just the site."

**Marmalade**

"That's a big kitten!"

**Lulu**

"I wish we could see the whole thing!"

**game meowster**

"Maybe there are dungeons?" Cata suggests. "And we can see the whole thing if we go down? And I'm totally not saying it because I want to find that book."

**Lulu**

"I'm sure that Meowcher knows where it would be!" I start sniffing around to see if anything smells like madness.

**game meowster**

[perception roll]

**Lulu**

15

**game meowster**

This place just smells of earth and greenery and old crumbling walls. And... unfriendliness?

**game meowster**

A few cat spirits and fur blights materialize around you.

**Lulu**

"Whoa!"

**Pike**

I puff up and get my sword ready.

**game meowster**

The cat spirits hiss, and the fur blights roll around menacingly.

**Marmalade**

Marms hisses back.

**game meowster**

Catér reaches for his sword too, Meowloth opens his grimeowire, Cata starts meowing, and Purrance lifts his staff.

**Lulu**

I start meowing to summon my own spirits

**game meowster**

[Marms, intimidation roll. and everyone will save against cat spirit hiss intimidation]

**Marmalade**

7 on intimidation; 3 on will save!

**Lulu**

1 on the will save

**Pike**

13 on will save

**game meowster**

As the cat spirits hiss, Meowloth backs away as much as he can, hugging his grimeowire tight and shaking. Cata takes a step back, a bit afraid too.

Catér and Purrance bravely stand their ground.

Pike, you try to do the same, but this is just too scary and you take a tiny step back, too.

Lulu, you're so terrified all your fur stands on end, and then you just curl up into a ball, whining quietly, unable to do anything, even summon your spirits - you briefly see their outlines flicker, but they just echo your frightened voice with sad meows and disappear.

**Marmalade**

[this is, overall, the most adorable fight ever]

**game meowster**

Marms, you've been places, but none of them has been as scary as this one. You take a few steps back, scared and frustrated - so frustrated that you hiss back at them...

The most horrible cat hiss any of you have ever heard pierces the air, and in a moment all the cat spirits and fur blights are petrified with fear.

Apparently, anything that can make a noise like that can't be just a regular cat, but must be something even more scary than they are.

Catér rolls all the fur blights over to where the spirits are, and then Purrance brings a beam of fire on them and the fight is over.

**Lulu**

I peek out from where I'm trying to hide behind my own tail. "Are they gone?"

**game meowster**

Catér comes over and pats your back. "Yeah, they're gone. You okay, fluffy?"

**Marmalade**

Marmalade sniffs the air. "Smells like burnt furballs!"

**game meowster**

Purrance grins. "That's because we've just burnt some!"

**Pike**

I stay puffed up but put my sword away for now.

**Lulu**

"Wow! Good job guys, that was so scary!"

**game meowster**

"Very meowch!" Meowloth whines.

"Catward!" he mutters to himself a moment later. "No, that's called commeown sense..."

**Marmalade**

"What was all that...uh...floating fur, anyway?"

**game meowster**

"Fur blights," Cata explains.

**Pike**

"Maybe that big kitten shed its fur?"

**Marmalade**

Marms sniffs toward the meowdra paw. "Maybe that's why it's turned green!"

**game meowster**

"Not exactly, but you're pretty close!" Cata continues. "When shed fur somehow gets tangled into some soul yarn threads flowing through the meowdra, it results in fur blights."

**Lulu**

"How horrible!"

**game meowster**

Catér nods. "Purrwood isn't an easy place to live in, fluffy."

**Marmalade**

"Do you get fur blights a lot 'round here?"

**game meowster**

Catér shakes his head. "Not usually, no."

"See?" Purrance's whiskers twitch. "Told you. Meowchers are madness."

Catér points at the keep. "Meow... Let's go?"

**Lulu**

I nod and follow but try to keep a look out for any more spirits and blights.

**Pike**

I follow as well.

**Marmalade**

Same!

**game meowster**

The main door opens with a loud screech and you all enter.

It's dark, but you can see the inside of the keep is just as ruined as the outside.

You are in what seems to be a throne room of some sort. At the end of it, there is an impressive meowrble cat bed or throne, shaped like a sitting cat with a veil on her head. There is a place to sit or lie down between her paws.

**Lulu**

I go sniff the statue.

**game meowster**

When you do, you hear a voice in your head.  _ Hello, fluffy kitten. _

**Lulu**

I jump and give a "mrow!" of surprise. "What was that?"

**game meowster**

_ Oh, apurrlogies, I didn't want to scare you. _

Now you all hear a pleasant voice in your minds.  _ I am the Steward of Cat Nua. _

**Marmalade**

"Steward?" Marmalade sniffs around hopefully. "Do you serve stew for dinner here?"

**game meowster**

"Meow... Hello, catlady?" Catér grins.

**Lulu**

"Oh! Nice to meet you!" I look around. "Where are you?"

**game meowster**

[ok let's just assume all other companions said hello too; I can't keep this up if you keep just collecting them all XD]

_ I'm in the throne, _ the Steward explains.  _ And no, no stew, leafy kitten. I look over this keep. _

**Marmalade**

"Oh." Marmalade sighs but then raises a paw in greeting toward the throne. "Well, nice to meet you anyway!"

**Pike**

"I thought this was the Meowcher's keep?"

**Lulu**

I sniff at the throne again. "How'd you end up in here?"

**game meowster**

_ I chose to have the yarn of my soul woven into this throne. _

**Marmalade**

Marmalade shudders. "Sounds painful."

**game meowster**

_ And this is the Meowcher's keep. _ She sounds sad.  _ But the Meowcher... Meowrwald cared for the keep, but then something changed, and he disappeared underground... _

_ He was Ameowkened, you see. _

**Pike**

"Ameowkened?"

**game meowster**

_ He started recalling meowmories of his past lives. It's difficult enough for regular cats, but with Meowchers... It can be dangerous. _

"Told you," Purrance whispurrs. "Madness."

_ Meowlas, that is so. _

**Lulu**

"Oh no! How do we help him?"

**Marmalade**

"He went underground? Can we go find him? We're good at finding things!"

**game meowster**

_ I hope you can find him. But I'm afraid you can't help him, kittens. _

**Pike**

"Can we try and talk to him anyway?"

**game meowster**

_ Yes. Just please be careful, kittens. _

A door opens on your left.

_ This way. _

**Marmalade**

"Are there fur blights down there, too?"

**game meowster**

_ There are spiders and scatldrs and other things... And I'm not sure what's on the lowest level. Something powerful is obscuring the view. _

**Marmalade**

"A really big fur blight?" Marmalade shudders and his fur bristles.

(With his fur standing all on end he kinda looks like a big puffball fur blight himself...)

**Pike**

"How far down does it go?"

**game meowster**

_ Something worse. And it's been living near meowdra for so long... Don't go that deep, kittens. _

_ A few levels. Only the first is opened now. The lower levels are blocked, just in case. _

**Lulu**

"We'll be careful! Thank you for your help!"

**game meowster**

_ You're welcome, kittens. It was nice to talk to someone. _

**Marmalade**

"If there are any blights down there, we'll take care of them!"

"It was nice to talk to you, too!" Marms purrs and rubs up against the throne in a friendly gesture. (Is that actually a cat hug? XD)

**game meowster**

_ Aww, I like you too, kittens. _

**Pike**

"We'll be back soon, don't worry!"

**game meowster**

Catér glances at the door, then at you. "Let's... go?"

**Lulu**

"Yeah! Let's go find that Meowcher!"

**Marmalade**

"Yes let's!"

**Pike**

"Yes, let's go!"

**game meowster**

You follow Catér down the stairs, illuminated only by the light from Purrance's staff.

The first level below looks like a ruined prison cell with crumbling walls and broken bars.

In the middle of it, near a lowly burning fire, you see a cat. He's old and shabby, covered in cobwebs, and he seems asleep, muttering to himself quietly from time to time.

**Marmalade**

Marms sniffs to see if the air smells like catnip...er, madness?

**game meowster**

[perception roll]

**Marmalade**

Oh that's a 20!

**game meowster**

There's a strange smell in the air... Like meowdra, but more intangible. You don't really have any right meowords to describe it.

**Marmalade**

Marms growls quietly at the strange smell. "Smells weird down here!" he whispurrs to the catteam.

**Lulu**

"Is that him? Should we wake him up?"

**game meowster**

The old cat opens his eyes when he hears you talking. "Who are you and what are you doing in my keep?"

**Lulu**

"Oh...hi! You're a Meowcher, right? We wanted to ask you some questions!"

**Pike**

"I'm Pike! We wanted to talk to you about some funny dreams we've been having!"

**game meowster**

"Meowcher?" The cat's voice changes. "There are no Meowchers in here, only..."

"Meowrauder and Meowcher and..." The cat's voice is back what you assume is normal. "Yes, it's me."

**Lulu**

"Are you okay?"

**game meowster**

He laughs. It sounds unnerving. "An Ameowkened Meowcher cannot be 'okay', kitten."

**Marmalade**

Marms shudders and makes anxious biscuits on the floor for a moment. "D'you want some milk? Or catnip?"

**game meowster**

He looks at you closely, Marms, then at Lulu and Pike. "Poor, poor kittens... You too..."

**Lulu**

"Us too? What's us too?"

**game meowster**

"You're Ameowkened Meowchers. Poor kittens..."

As he says that, you recall the strange dream, and the spirits you've seen and the voices you've heard.

And the black cat from your dreams who you've seen in the Meowgwithan ruins, and the symbol of the claw on the robes of the cats from your visions.

"Meow..." The Meowcher's whiskers twitch. "Claws of lead. Bottles of milk. Queens that meow. Known to me are they, the Leaden Claw."

**Pike**

"Who are the Leaden Claw?"

**game meowster**

"Keepurrs of secrets. Serving the Queen That Meows. They hate Meowchers, because we see too much. Reveal secrets."

**Marmalade**

"We are pretty good at finding things..." Marms mutters.

**Pike**

"Yeah! I bet we could find them!"

**Lulu**

"If they have bottles of milk they can't be all bad!"

**game meowster**

"If you want to find them, seek in Defiance Bay."

**Marmalade**

"Oh we were going there anyway!"

**Pike**

"That's handy!"

(Paw-y?)

**game meowster**

"Be careful. There are some bottles of milk from which it's better not to drink, kittens."

**Lulu**

I look very confused by that concept. "There are?"

**Pike**

"That's okay, we brought milk with us!"

**game meowster**

"There are." The Meowcher looks at you closely, Lulu. "You'll see, kitten. You'll see."

[and that's where we'll end tonight's session]


	5. Chapter 5

**game meowster**

[Ok, let's start with a little recap. Last session, you met the old Meowcher, Meowrwald, and he told you about the Leaden Claw and where to find them. He also warned you that there are some bottles of milk from which it's better not to drink. When Lulu was confused by the concept, he only warned you that "you'll see".]

You - and your companions - are facing the old Meowcher, confused by his warning. You've been standing like that for some time and the silence is starting to get awkward.

**Marmalade**

"Huh, now I'm craving milk," Marmalade mutters.

**game meowster**

Catér scratches behind his ear. "Probably not the best time for questions, right? Because..."

"No questions!" Meowrwald hisses. "Meowmories of my old lives think you're their enemies and I can't stop them any longer..." And with that, he lifts his staff and starts whispurring a spell.

**Lulu**

"Stop! We're not your enemies!"

**game meowster**

[purrsuasion roll]

**Lulu**

[oof nat 1]

**game meowster**

Meowrwald's eyes widen and narrow a few times, and his expression changes as well, as if he was a few different cats at once. "We know better than you who you are!"

**Marmalade**

Marmalade tilts his head trying to do the math on who that means we are.

**game meowster**

Catér looks at Lulu, then at Purrance, Meowloth and then back at the old Meowcher. "Huh, strange, it usually worked..."

Meowloth's fur ruffles. "Meowst be some pawerfur meowgic at work..."

Catér and Purrance glance at Pike. "Quick, before he casts a spell!"

**Marmalade**

Marms casts Tanglepaw to try and trip him up so we can go back to talking about milk.

**game meowster**

Cata is just standing there, staring, very confused by what's going on.

[Marms, roll for Tanglepaw]

**Marmalade**

2 XD

**game meowster**

Marms, you cast the spell, but are so distracted by thinking about milk that Meowrwald just hops over it.

He snorts. "You call that magic?"

**game meowster**

Meowloth looks like he's on the verge of a breakdown, and then he yells "Meowgic! It's _meowgic_! Why does everyone here have such a terrible accent?!"

**Lulu**

I summon some spirit kitties to fly over and distract him.

**Pike**

I use Frightening Yowl to try and make him stand still.

**game meowster**

[roll for it]

**Lulu**

15

**Pike**

[Natural 20!]

**game meowster**

Meowrwald is not distracted by the kitties... But they still catch his attention for a moment, enough that he doesn't notice Pike puffing up. Her Frightening Yowl is so powerful that it makes Meowrwald freeze... and Meowloth too.

[because Pike you totally didn't specify which him you meant, and while the gm knows you meant Meowrwald, the last "him" mentioned was Meowloth]

**Pike**

[Oops sorry Meowloth!]

**Marmalade**

[being intimidated even by his tiny cute companion is very Meowloth anyway XD]

**Pike**

"I don't want to fight you, but I will!" I say to Meowrwald. "We just came here to talk!"

**game meowster**

He does that weird thing with his eyes again, and hisses.

[persuasion]

**Pike**

[8]

**Marmalade**

"We have milk that's totally safe to drink if you want some!"

**game meowster**

[Marms, persuasion]

**Marmalade**

10!

**Lulu**

"And catnip if you want some!"

**game meowster**

[Lulu, persuasion]

**Lulu**

13

Apparently, one of Meowrwald's meowmories must be Catfathan, because while it didn't fall for Lulu's charm, it was impressed by Pike's fighting spirit.

And it seems the old Meowcher is very old indeed, and he might have got tired by this short attempt at fighting, because his whiskers move at the mention of milk and catnip.

"...if you insist," he says, somewhat confused by his sudden change of attitude.

**Lulu**

I take a little piece of catnip off my flower crown and offer it to him.

**Pike**

I get the milk out of my catbag and give it to him, still a bit puffed up.

**game meowster**

In a moment, you are all sitting around a small fire, sharing milk and catnip.

[everyone roll for catnip XD]

**Pike**

[2]

**Marmalade**

11

**Lulu**

14

**game meowster**

[lol the boys' rolls... XD results of which you'll see in a moment]

It turns out that Meowrwald is even more experienced with catnip than Marms, and he just becomes a bit more mellow. Lulu, you just become a bit more cheerful. Marms, you must be still tired after the journey, but you're doing ok - you've been places and used catnips, after all.

It's a good thing you're sitting, though, as Pike and all others probably couldn't really walk or even stand.

Meowloth seems to be talking to himself, Purrance is smiling and purring at Pike, Catér is telling Cata about one of his old flames, and Cata is making notes but he forgot a parchment so he's writing over his own fur.

[and we'll let Pike decide what she's doing XD]

**Pike**

Rolled on my back, vaguely swiping at the air in slow motion.

**game meowster**

"So..." Meowrwald tries to take Catér's pipe, but Catér swats his paw away. "What else do you want to talk about?"

[Marms, perception]

**Marmalade**

4!

**game meowster**

[Lulu, perception too if you want]

**Lulu**

12

**game meowster**

Meowrwald looks at you expectantly, producing a pipe seemingly out of thin air and filling it with catnip. Lulu, you notice the pipe looks suspiciously like the one Catér gave Marms.

[he rolled a nat20]

**Lulu**

"I'm just happy we're all friends now! How long have you been here by yourself?"

**game meowster**

"It's been a while." His expression changes. "He's not by himself though, he has me!" Another change, another Ameowkened meowmory. "And me!"

_And me_ , the throne cat lady says in your minds.

**Lulu**

"Oh! Even more friends! Hi everyone!"

**game meowster**

Catér glances at his catnip. "Huh, strong stuff."

**Marmalade**

Marms tilts his head back and forth in confusion at all of Meowrwald's purrsonality shifts. XD

**Pike**

I just stare at my paws - I think they've got bigger?

**game meowster**

[Pike, perception]

**Pike**

[18]

**game meowster**

Your paws are the usual size, and just as fluffy as they should be.

**Pike**

Phew!

**Lulu**

"What else do you know about those cats in the cloaks? Have you met them before?"

**game meowster**

"I haven't!" "Me neither!" "I have," Meowrwald says. "They're not fond of Meowchers. And they serve Woedicat. And there's more of them than you can handle."

**Marmalade**

"There's a whole bunch of us here now though!"

**Lulu**

"Yeah! And I bet once everyone meets all of us they'll all want to be friends, just like you!"

**game meowster**

Meowrwald puffs out a smoke ball. "Let's just say they come in bigger bunches than you do."

He gives Lulu a thoughtful look. "You know, I don't think anyone ever tried befriending them..."

Catér blinks and his eyes glaze over a little. "Oh my catgods, that's so sad!"

**Marmalade**

"Good thing they're gonna meet us, then!"

**Lulu**

"Yeah!" I nod enthusiastically. "We'll go meet them in Defiance Bay and be their first friends!"

**game meowster**

[...the gm is having very vivid flashes of cat Thaos curled up on his catbed in a dark corner and crying because he's lonely and on top of that Lulu broke his meowdra toy he thought he'd lost for good ages ago]

**Lulu**

[aww poor thing!]

**Marmalade**

[so it's definitely a campaign quest now to befriend him! right after we find Pike a good place to have those kittens!]

**game meowster**

[those quests might be connected XD I mean, if you befriend the LK, they'll find her the very best place to have those kittens]

Meowrwald looks at Lulu, then at Pike, then at Marms, then at your companions. "If anyone else asked, I'd say it's a crazy plan. Too crazy even for old Meowrwald." His whiskers move. "But you might actually make it."

**Marmalade**

[Kitties of Eternity: Friendship is Meowgic]

**Pike**

[I love that so much]

**game meowster**

[yeah we might have to edit the title XD]

**Lulu**

"Didn't you have a question too, Catér?"

**game meowster**

Catér blinks. "I did?"

"Oh, yeah!" He turns to Meowrwald. "You see, there's one thing I need a Meowcher's help in..."

Meowrwald shrugs. "Well then, you have three Meowchers in your team."

**Lulu**

"Are you sure we're meowchers? I don't think I've ever done any meowching."

**game meowster**

Catér scratches his head. "Oh, right." He turns to the catteam. "So, kitties, I need to go places..."

**Pike**

"Meowcher is a funny word..."

**game meowster**

Meowrwald looks at Lulu. "I'm sure. Try looking into each other's soulyarn if you don't believe that."

His expression changes for a while. "And are you sure you have enough screentime for side quests?"

[this campaign is total chaos and I love it]

**Pike**

[It's so fun!]

**game meowster**

Meowrwald huffs. "Come on. Look."

**Marmalade**

[Meowrwald's not used to being alive after this point! Whatever will he do now? XD]

**Lulu**

I close my eyes and try really hard to look at soulyarn.

**game meowster**

[whose soulyarn?]

**Lulu** 330

Catér.

**game meowster**

You see a younger Catér with another cat, very similar, probably his brother. They're talking and meowing, and then the other cat takes his sword and walks away. Then you see an older Catér, looking at the road, in the direction the other cat disappeared in.

**Lulu**

"Whooah I think I see it!"

**game meowster**

Catér grins. "And here I thought you're staring just because you like me."

**Marmalade**

"What'dya see, Lulu?"

**Lulu**

"I think I see Catér's brother." I open my eyes and look at Catér. "He looked like you and he had a sword. Where did he go?"

**game meowster**

Catér's ears drop. "To fight Meowdwen. At least that was the idea. The thing is, I'm no longer sure which side of the fight he was on." He glances at Meowloth, Purrance, and Cata, who's trying to note down everything, still scribbling hastily over his fur. Then, back at Lulu. "Also thanks for respecting my privacy, fluffy."

**Lulu**

"Sorry! I didn't know what I would see-- I'll ask before I try again."

**game meowster**

Meowrwald looks at Pike and Marms. "You should try, too. Better now than when you meet the Leaden Claw."

**Marmalade**

"Uh...Okay!" Marms tilts his head again and squints at Meowrwald.

**game meowster**

He draws on the pipe. "Also it might help if you looked at each others' meowmories.'

**Marmalade**

"Oh!" Marms squints at Pike instead.

**Pike**

I shake my head to focus and look at Marms too.

**game meowster**

Marms, you briefly see a wild Catfathan warrior, and then a Purrwoodan cat soldier.

Then you turn to Pike..

[and now, based on what the dice established in previous sessions, you can tell each other a meowmory from the times of Catquisition!]

**Marmalade**

[from the dream in that session? or some other memory?]

**game meowster**

[whatever you want, just a bit of your Catquisition backstory. might be Mocha with kittens or something just as random XD]

**Marmalade**

Hmmm Ok then Pike most definitely sees Mocha in that picture(1) where she's about to grab the knife XD

She is trying to be very stealthy so her sisters don't hear her.

**Pike**

Marms, you see a furless cat meditating quietly, before moving her paws so quickly it almost seems like a dance.

She hits a branch and breaks it.

**Marmalade**

"Whoa Pike! What happened to your fur?"

**Pike**

"I don't know! Why did you have a knife?"

**Marmalade**

"Me? A knife?" Marms turns in a circle looking for it.

**game meowster**

Meowrwald is just smoking the pipe, watching the discussion and having fun. Others are staring, except for Cata, who's still scribbling.

**Marmalade**

[on his fur? XD]

**game meowster**

[of course]

[Marms, perception]

**Marmalade**

17!

**game meowster**

You didn't take a knife on this journey. Maybe Pike's talking about a meowmory?

**Lulu**

"Ooh, someone do me!"

**Marmalade**

"Sure!" Marms squints at Lulu.

**Pike**

I look at Lulu.

**Lulu**

You see a brown spotted cat chasing a squirrel-cat up a tree.

**Marmalade**

"Oh you found that squirrel thingy!"

**game meowster**

"You should keep training this," Meowrwald suggests. His expression changes briefly. "When the Leaden Claw you meet, useful it might be."

**Pike**

"What are you going to do?"

**game meowster**

"Stay? In case you haven't noticed, I live here."

**Marmalade**

"This is so weird." Marms shakes his head to clear it. "So like...Pike sees me with a knife but it's not now, it's in my memories? How come I don't remember a knife?"

**game meowster**

"You don't remember _yet_ ," the old Meowcher corrects.

"Maybe that meowmory wasn't important. If it was, it'll come to you eventually."

"Try thinking of what you do remember while another tries looking, maybe?" He shrugs. "I don't know. Never had other Meowchers here before to test how it works."

**Pike**

"Maybe we'll see more meowmories if we keep practicing!"

**game meowster**

"And if you see them first, no one will use them against you," Meowrwald says.

Purrance nods slowly. "Or at least you'll know what to expect."

**game meowster**

Meowrwald finishes smoking and gives the pipe back to Marms (who never noticed it's missing). "You can stay here tonight, if you want. But if you want to catch up to the Leaden Claw, you should set off for Defiance Bay first thing in the morning."

**Lulu**

"Good idea! Thanks for all the help, Meowrwald!"

**Marmalade**

"Yeah! Nice to meet you. And...the other yous, too!"

**Pike**

"You should say hi to the statue lady sometime, she misses you!"

**game meowster**

Meowrwald looks thoughtful. "Yes, I should," he whispurrs, getting up. "Oh, there's a library upstairs and you can sleep there if you want. Or in that ruined manor in the courtyard. Or anywhere, really."

Meowloth, Catér and Cata are already asleep on the floor.

Meowrwald looks at them and shrugs. "Or here. Here's fine too. Goodnight, kittens." With that, he disappears up the stairs.

"You keep practicing," Purrance says through a yawn. "While we..." He falls over, snoring.

**Pike**

"I guess we're sleeping here, then!"

**Marmalade**

"Looks cozy!"

**Lulu**

"Fine by me!" I pat down an area, curl up, and go to sleep.

**Pike**

I curl up and fall asleep too

**Marmalade**

Marms too.

**game meowster**

After a while, you all fall asleep. At first, nothing happens, but then you start dreaming of those images your Meowcher friends saw in your souls. And slowly, as the night unfurls, you regain full meowmories of those scenes, recalling where they took place and what was their meaning in your previous life.

[now you can describe your dreams]

**Marmalade**

[oh dear]

**Lulu**

I remember prowling around Leaden Claw territory to track down troublesome squirrel-cats that have been messing up the Woedicat shrines and chasing them away so they won't bother us anymore.

**Pike**

The furless cat meditates and practices but she never never finds peace, always feels restless - until a dark haired cat and a sweet fluffy cat promise to tell her about the cat-gods.

**Marmalade**

Mocha was DEFINITELY not stealthily grabbing a knife to attempt to assassinate strangers sneaking up to her litter's nesting place after the other four of the identical coffee kittens had been killed off by mysterious predators, only to have these particular strangers turn out to be missionaries. Oops!

(to clarify there were seven identical coffee kittens, the three that were left at that point all join the Catquisition together XD)

Fortunately for the missionaries, Mocha is not a trained catsassin.

**game meowster**

[have I mentioned I love your kitties? <3 ]

You wake in the morning, somewhat confused by your dreams. You're in the dungeon alone, save for Catér, who woke you. "Hello, kitties! Join us upstairs when you're ready to go. I'll go and pack some more milk and catnip."

**Pike**

I stretch and pick up my sword and catbag.

**Lulu**

I clean myself off a little and get ready to go.

**Marmalade**

Marms looks around confused for a minute, expecting to see his [Mocha's] identical sisters.

However he is soon enough distracted by Catér's mention of milk and catnip. :-D

**game meowster**

After a while, you follow Catér upstairs. The others are waiting near the throne cat lady, with catbags of food.

"Did you learn anything about your past?" Meowrwald asks.

Purrance watches you closely, and Cata takes out a piece of parchment, ready to take notes.

Meowloth is curled up on the catbags, snoring softly.

**Marmalade**

"Uh...I wasn't all that good with the knife so it's probably a good thing I didn't bring it this time!"

**Pike**

"In my meowmory I was searching for peace - and I had no fur so I was cold all the time!"

**Lulu**

"I was a hunter!"

**Marmalade**

Marms shudders at the thought of no fur. "Pike! No fur? Where would you wear your leaves?"

**Pike**

"I didn't have any leaves to wear!"

**Marmalade**

Marms shakes his ears. "Those were strange times. Strange times indeed!"

**Pike**

"Maybe that's why I was so sad back then?"

**Marmalade**

Marms purrs and headbutts her. "You have really nice fur now though!"

**game meowster**

Catér purrs too. "Yeah, what he said! Real nice fur!"

**Pike**

I puff up a bit, just to make sure I still can!

**Marmalade**

"And we should grab some Cat Nua leaves to wear as a memento before we leave today!"

**game meowster**

_You can visit anytime if you want._

"Maybe not anytime, but you can come back if you need to rest," Meowrwald agrees.

**Lulu**

"Thank you, that's so nice!"

**Pike**

"Thank you!"

**Marmalade**

"We'll come back and tell you how it went when we made friends with the Leaden Claw!"

**game meowster**

"Please do. Goodbye, kittens."

_Take care, kittens._

**Marmalade**

"Bye!"

**Lulu**

"Goodbye!"

**Pike**

"See you soon!"

**game meowster**

You say goodbyes and leave Cat Nua with your catteam. You travel undisturbed, with Meowloth, Catér, and Purrance taking turns being the guide, and occasionally arguing about which direction to go.

In the evening, you stop for the night in a nice clearing in a forest. Catér and Purrance collect some twigs and make a fire, while Cata and Meowloth prepare food.

"So, you gonna keep practicing that Meowcher thing?" Catér asks, sitting on the grass and taking out his pipe.

Purrance just watches you closely.

[perception roll]

**Marmalade**

11!

**Lulu**

10

**Pike**

6

**game meowster**

You all notice Meowloth glancing at you fearfully, trying to be stealthy about it and failing meowserably.

**Pike**

"Did I scare you yesterday?" I ask him.

"I'm not going to fight you, promise!

**game meowster**

"Meow, what?" He almost jumps when Pike addresses him. "Ah, that! Yes, a little!" He smiles nervously. "You're ameowzing at being scary!"

He lets out a breath, looking a little more relaxed.

**Lulu**

"I want to keep practicing! Oh, but only if someone wants me to practice on them!"

**Marmalade**

"You can practice on me if you want, Lu!"

**Pike**

"I'll try and warn you before I do it again, if there's time!" I say to Meowloth.

"And me as well, if you like!" to Lulu.

**game meowster**

Meowloth looks visibly more relieved as Pike speaks. "Meowny thanks, I'll appawciate that!"

**Lulu**

I focus on Marms first.

**Marmalade**

Hmmm...You see three coffee kitties sitting catloaf style, fidgeting a bit as they listen to the Grandmeowster's sermon.

**game meowster**

[coffee catloaves! <3 ]

**Lulu**

"Aww, is that other you as a kitten? You were cute!"

And then I turn to Pike and focus on her.

**Pike**

You see the furless cat, watching the other acolytes and wanting to join them, but she's too shy, and just goes back to reading the prayers alone instead.

**game meowster**

After a moment, you see the fluffy ginger cat you remember from your dreams, approaching the furless cat and starting to talk to her.

**Lulu**

"I see you, and I think your friend?"

**Pike**

"I think she must have been!"

**Lulu**

"She seems nice! And so did you!"

**Pike**

"Thanks Lulu!"

**game meowster**

[cat Fluff is going to hug all your kitties because I wanna do that all the time <3 ]

**Marmalade**

[Fluffiest Inquisition ever XD]

**game meowster**

[I bet no one expected that XD]

**Pike**

"Do you want me to practice on you, Lulu?"

**Lulu**

"Go ahead!"

**Pike**

I look at Lulu's soulyarn.

**Lulu**

You see Cinnamon and a pack of other hunter cats speaking to the black fluffy cat. They talk for a little while, and then Cinnamon leaves the pack to follow the other cat.

**Pike**

"You went away from your friends, I think, following that black fluffy cat."

**Lulu**

I hum a little bit as I try to remember. "I think I was asked to help him with something? I'm sure I'll remember eventually!"

**Pike**

"Meowrwald said we'd remember if it was important, so I'm sure you will!"

**game meowster**

Meanwhile, Cata left Meowloth alone with the food and is sitting on the grass, scribbling furiously. "That's amazing! Could you tell me more?"

**Marmalade**

[still on his fur? XD]

**game meowster**

[on parchment this time]

**Marmalade**

[Maybe Aumeowa markings are just from using their fur for notepaper...]

**game meowster**

[it's catnon now]

"So," Cata continues cheerfully, "could you tell me how it feels, being an Ameowkened Meowcher? Just for science, I promise!"

**Marmalade**

Marms thinks about it for a second. "Feels like I'm hungry!"

**Pike**

"It's strange, dreaming about things I don't know but still remember!"

**Lulu**

"Yeah! I still don't understand a lot of the stuff I see!"

**Marmalade**

"Also," Marms adds, pawing at the ground, "this is from our past? Like, one of our nine lives before this one? What about the other cats we're remembering from then? Are they still around somewhere?" He crouches down and looks around.

**game meowster**

[perception roll]

**Lulu**

"Probably! I remembered you two and you're still around!"

**Marmalade**

5!

**game meowster**

Probably? Since you've already established you remember each other from that past life. But can you be sure?

**Marmalade**

Marms is totally gonna be looking over his shoulder for past-life sisters from now on. XD

**Pike**

"I wonder if we'll run into anyone else we knew from back then?"

**Marmalade**

"Seemed like a lot of cats in the dreams so I bet we will!"

**Pike**

"It'll be fun to make more friends!"

**Lulu**

"Yeah! I can't wait to meet them! Or meet them again, I guess!"

**Pike**

"I wonder if they'll remember us too?"

**Marmalade**

"Maybe we'll have to Meowch them and then they'll remember us."

**game meowster**

"They might Ameowken if you do," Purrance says. "But that would definitely make them remember you."

**Marmalade**

Marms ponders and then sits up straighter. "So we have to be sure to Meowch every stranger we meet, just in case!"

**game meowster**

[the gm will remember this... XD]

**Marmalade**

[well ya know it only works on the ones with the different color names or whatever it was in game XD]

**game meowster**

Catér puts his pipe away. "Ok, catteam, I think it's time to get some dinner and then some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a long day if we wanna get to Defiance Bay before nightfall."

**Marmalade**

Marms perks up at the mention of dinner.

**Pike**

Pike does too!

**Lulu**

Same!

**game meowster**

You share the food, and then some milk, and then go to sleep. Again, you dream of the meowmories you recalled during your evening Meowching session, but now you remeowmber more than your friends saw.

**Pike**

Pike dreams of the furless cat again, and with the encouragement of the fluffy ginger cat she has started to make friends with the other acolytes - between that and her new-found faith in the cat-gods she is tentatively starting to be happy!

**Lulu**

I dream of the pack of hunter cats I grew up with, and how we lived in the woods together until a cat came looking for cats to join his holy mission. I felt inspired by him and decided to join.

**Marmalade**

Marms dreams of Mocha and her sisters in acolyte (hm...acatlyte? catolyte?) training; the other two coffee kitties are a bit restless and tend to whisper back and forth during the sermons. Mocha likes to curl up and listen to the Grandmeowster though, even when her sisters run off to stalk birds or flirt with the other acolytes instead.

**game meowster**

[and that's where we'll end the session!]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) you can find the pic [here](https://www.boredpanda.com/cat-snapchat-funny/)


	6. Chapter 6

**game meowster**

It's - hopefully - the last night before you reach Defiance Bay. But your rest is disturbed by dreams - meowmories of the strange cats you now know were your past lives.

When Catér wakes you up, it's morning. But even though you slept through the night, you're not very well rested and slightly disoriented.

"You were doing strange things in your sleep," Catér says.

**Marmalade**

"We were?"

**game meowster**

Cata is sitting nearby, glancing at you from time to time and sketching furiously.

**Pike**

"What were we doing?"

**Lulu**

“Like what?”

**game meowster**

Cata turns his notebook towards you and shows you the sketches. Marms is calmly catloafing, which is very weird. Lulu has her claws out and looks as if she was hissing. Pike is hugging the air with an uncharacteristically shy smile on her face.

**Pike**

"That is odd!"

**Marmalade**

[Meowcher dreams officially are way better than Watcher dreams, that's the cutest!]

**Lulu**

I look at the picture and back at my paws, very confused.

**game meowster**

"You still looked cute even when you looked angry, fluffy," Catér assures.

**Lulu**

“Aww, thanks!”

“That’s still strange though...”

**Marmalade**

Marms peers at the drawings. "Hmmm. Catloafing doesn't look nearly as comfy in my sleep as I would've guessed."

**Pike**

"I think I was hugging someone in my dream!"

**Marmalade**

"Did you dream we were practicing cat hugs again, like that first time, Pike?"

**game meowster**

"Cat hugs?" Purrance seems bewildered by the very idea.

**Pike**

"I'm not sure - I think I was making friends!"

**game meowster**

Catér smiles. "Seems like a nice dream."

**Lulu**

“Me too! At least, I think so. I met another cat and he seemed kind of familiar.”

**Pike**

And I say "You know, when you give someone a hug to make life fluffed and happier!" to Purrance.

**game meowster**

Purrance blinks. "When you  _ what _ ?"

**Marmalade**

"We learned a lot about it in our dreams!"

**Lulu**

“Yeah! They’re really nice!”

**game meowster**

Cata scratches behind his ear. "Is it possible you were dreaming of the times when Catvii Purra Toha was created?"

"You know, that sacred text on how to be a proper cat."

**Marmalade**

"Does it involve cat hugs?"

**game meowster**

Cata laughs. "I guess it should."

**Pike**

"I don't know how long ago the dreams are!"

**Marmalade**

Marmalade turns to Meowloth. "Meowloth! You know lots about being a propurr cat! Hugging is part of it, right?"

**game meowster**

Meowloth looks as if he was both wistful and appalled by the idea. "Purroper cats don't hug. We just stay in the sameow purroom when we like someowne."

**Marmalade**

"Oh. That seems...weird."

**Lulu**

“Have you tried hugging? I think you’d like that better!”

**game meowster**

Meowloth lifts his head a little. "It's called respawcting purrsonal space."

He glances at Marms’ fur, full of dirt and leaves. "No hugs fur me, meowny thanks."

**Pike**

"What if someone is feeling sad, though? Wouldn't a hug cheer them up?"

**game meowster**

"Well, the Meowcher said no one tried to befriend the Leaden Claw," Catér says. "So they must be pretty sad. We can test that theory when we meet them, right?"

**Lulu**

“That’s a great idea!”

**Pike**

"Yeah, that sounds like a great plan!"

**Marmalade**

"Let's try it!"

**Pike**

"Let's have breakfast first though!"

**Marmalade**

"Oh yes! It's always best to have breakfast before testing any theories!"

**Lulu**

“Another great idea!”

**game meowster**

"How did you even come across them?" Purrance asks. "The Leaden Claw, not theories or breakfasts," he clarifies.

**Marmalade**

Marms thinks back. "Well, we were running from a storm..."

**Pike**

[Purrance knows us too well by now lol]

"And we went into some ruins!"

**Lulu**

“And then we found a bunch of cats with cloaks and a machine!”

“And then we fell asleep.”

**Marmalade**

"It was a very weird catnap."

**game meowster**

Purrance frowns. "Are you sure it wasn't cat _ nip _ , in your case?"

**Marmalade**

"Hmmm, we found some of that in the ruins. It might've been kind of weird, too."

**Lulu**

“Well we did just have catnip...”

**game meowster**

"As meowch as I hate to pawgree with him..." Meowloth says. "How do you know those meowsterious cats were Leaden Claw?"

**Pike**

"Well, when we woke up some of the cats had been turned to stone! That's strange, right? And the Leaden Claw seem pretty strange!"

**Lulu**

"And they had these weird symbols on their robes!"

**game meowster**

Cata's ears perk up. "Weird symbols?" He flips a page in his notebook, ready to write.

**Pike**

"And the big fluffy black cat was wearing a mask!"

**Lulu**

I describe the symbol to him.

**game meowster**

Cata tries to draw the symbol, and the sketch turns out pretty decent.

**Marmalade**

Marms scrunches down into a catloaf again as he recalls, "That fluffy black cat seems familiar..."

**Lulu**

“I think he was in some of the dreams!” I scrunch my nose. “It’s kind of hard to remember, though.”

**Marmalade**

Marms paws at the ground in agreement. "It all blurs together kind of weird. Like after too much catnip."

**game meowster**

"Too meowch catnip, purreally?" Meowloth mutters.

"Yeah, I don't know what gave you that idea, Marms," Purrance says.

**Pike**

"I think he was in my dream too!"

**game meowster**

"Do you who that black cat is?" Catér asks. "Maybe we can look for him in Defiance Bay. I've heard their ciphpurrs are pretty good at finding things."

**Lulu**

“Good idea! Maybe he’ll remember us too!”

**Pike**

"That's a good idea! We should ask the ciphpurrs!"

**Marmalade**

"But first, breakfast!"

**game meowster**

[Lulu, are you wearing the flower crown?]

**Lulu**

[yep!]

**game meowster**

[we forgot last time, so now... roll for it!]

**Lulu**

17

**game meowster**

You're feeling more aware of how cute and fluffy you are. Like, have you always been  _ this _ fluffy? It's really strange you don't have more admirers. This much fluff deserves that.

**Lulu**

I happily fluff up my fur a little more than usual after breakfast.

**game meowster**

[roll for charm]

**Pike**

"You're looking really fluffy today, Lu!"

**Lulu**

"Thank you!"

5

**game meowster**

[and Pike and Marms, roll for saving throws]

**Marmalade**

9!

**Pike**

13

**game meowster**

Most of your catpanions are going about breakfast as if nothing happened. Even Pike and Marms! Only Purrance is looking at Lulu as if he saw something very bewildering (he's probably never thought anything is cute before). It's a bit sad they have such bad taste and can't appreciate proper fluff, really.

**Marmalade**

"Would you like a leaf to tuck into your tail? Extra fluff is great for holding leaves in place!"

**Lulu**

“Hmm... I think I’m okay with just my flowers. But thank you!”

**Marmalade**

"Okay!" Marms tucks the leaf in his own tail instead.

**game meowster**

Purrance gets up and wanders around the camp for a while, and comes back holding a poppy. "That's the same colour as your ribbon? I think?" He really seems bewildered by what he's doing. "Uh, that's what friends do, right?"

**Pike**

[Aw, bless!]

**Lulu**

I give him a big smile and add the flower to my crown. “Thank you! Yes, that’s exactly what friends do!”

**game meowster**

After what seems like a battle with his own face, Purrance smiles. The sight is mildly unsettling.

**Marmalade**

Marms looks thoughtfully at the flower. "Should we gather more of them to offer to the Leaden Claw when we befriend them?"

**Lulu**

“Ooh yeah! We can do that on the way to Defiance Bay!”

**game meowster**

Catér sighs and makes a facepaw. "Yeah, fluffy is right, on the way seems like a good place to look for those flowers. Otherwise we'll never get anywhere."

Purrance's whiskers move. "You know, I'm kind of starting to pity them..."

You eat breakfast - almost the last of your supplies - and set off to Defiance Bay.

"So," Catér says as you walk, "wanna look for those flowers?"

"Just along the road, though. Please."

**Lulu**

I keep an eye out for pretty flowers as we walk.

**Marmalade**

Marms will look for flowers too.

**Pike**

I'll help too!

**game meowster**

[roll for flowers! or just perception XD]

**Pike**

12

**Lulu**

12

**Marmalade**

19

**game meowster**

Lulu and Pike, you find some pilgrim's crown and some wild flowers, common in Purrwood.

Marms, you're an experienced outdoors cat, and find almost everything you were looking for - whatever that was.

[that is, you get to pick what you found]

**Marmalade**

Whatever he found definitely has interesting leaves.

Hm how about some Admeth's Wyrt and Golden Celery!

**game meowster**

That would be Admeowth's Wyrt and Golden Catlery.

**Marmalade**

Purrfect!

**game meowster**

It's a long way, and a tiring day, but by sunset you get to Defiance Bay.

It's a big city, at least by local standards, and pretty nice. Most of the architecture is the common Purrwoodan cardboard box style, but grander and more ornamental than the cathouses in Gilded Vale.

[knowledge roll]

**Marmalade**

18! and "cardboard box style" <3 that's ameowzing :-D

**Pike**

11

**Lulu**

4

**game meowster**

After a short discussion, you're all able to identify some classic Catlian basket influences, and even bits of decorations that remind you of like stylized Catfathan treehouses.

**Pike**

[I love that!]

**Marmalade**

[best worldbuilding ever XD]

**game meowster**

[roll for endurance]

**Lulu**

12

**Pike**

15

**Marmalade**

15

**game meowster**

Most of you are holding up pretty well, but Catér looks tired, and Cata is barely standing on his paws.

**Marmalade**

"Maybe we should've had a bigger breakfast," muses Marms with a glance at Catér and Cata.

**Pike**

"Maybe we should take a break?"

**game meowster**

"I need a long catnap." Cata yawns. "But there's no reason you should miss the city's nightlife because of that!"

**Marmalade**

[can't blame the Catpanions for all needing a catnap after traveling with three Meowchers XD]

**game meowster**

[Catér might have dislocated his paw from too much facepawing XD]

"We could go find us rooms in a nice inn, and you could go exploring," Catér suggests. "There's a theatre here in Kittylane that you might want to visit, fluffy."

**Lulu**

My eyes go wide at the mention of a theater. “Ooh, yes! We have to go there!”

**game meowster**

"A nice inn sounds ameowzing," Meowloth nods.

**Lulu**

“Oh, and we need to meet the ciphpurrs too!”

**game meowster**

Purrance seems to be thinking. "I think I'll tag along. Bet it's gonna be better than theatre."

"In this city, ciphpurrs meet you," says a voice behind you.

**Pike**

I turn around, puffing up a bit.

**Marmalade**

Marms turns around to the voice. "That's catvenient!"

**game meowster**

[perception roll]

**Pike**

20!

**Marmalade**

11

**Lulu**

14

**game meowster**

Before you is a small and calm but still fierce looking ginger cat. He's wearing a uniform with a symbol of a paw clutching a strand of yarn.

Pike, you notice the strange cat is looking a lot like Marms, when you look close.

**Lulu**

“Hi! Who are you?”

**game meowster**

"I'm Purren, a ciphpurr from Dunryd Paw. Our leader, lady Meowdis Webb, wants to meet you."

**Lulu**

“Wow that was fast!”

**game meowster**

Purren blinks, confused. "What? You were looking for us?"

**Marmalade**

"We're looking for lots of things!"

**game meowster**

"One moment!" Purren holds up his paw.

He then puts it into his pocket and takes out a scroll, which is a few paws long when he unrolls it and starts reading. "Ok, lost kitten: one copper furball. Lost bottle of milk: one silver furball. Lost toy: one golden furball..."

He stops when he notices you're giving him strange looks. "Are you looking for something or are you not?"

**Lulu**

“We’re looking for the Leaden Claw!”

**game meowster**

"Huh, that's a new one." He seems surprised. "Not many cats around here looking forward to meeting them, you know. Most cats don't like them."

"Those that believe they even exist, anyway," he adds.

**Marmalade**

"Aw, that's sad! If most cats don't like them they must really need friends!"

**game meowster**

Purren snorts. "Or maybe if most cats don't like them, they have a reason."

**Lulu**

“I’m sure once we meet them we can figure it all out? Do you know where they are?”

**game meowster**

Purren frowns. "Maybe. If Lady Meowdis thinks you cat be given that information."

**Pike**

"Who is Lady Webb? And why does she want to see us?"

**game meowster**

"She's the leader of Dunryd Paw. Second most important person in the city, right after duc Purrevar." Purren smiles. "Or first. Depends on who you ask."

"Anyway, there's a ruined Woedicat temple in the First Furballs district. I'm pretty sure it used to be a Leaden Claw meeting place at some point." Purren shrugs. "That's all I can give you free of charge."

**Pike**

"We should go and see that temple!"

**Lulu**

“We’ll add it to our sightseeing list!”

**Marmalade**

"Let's go see what Lady Webb has to say and ask her about the temple!"

**game meowster**

"In that case, follow me." Purren turns around and starts walking.

**Lulu**

I follow!

**Marmalade**

Marms follows!

**Pike**

Me too!

**game meowster**

Purren leads you through Kittylane, the city's market district, and then through a big gate. "Welcome to Cattenbury."

This district is much more elegant than Kittylane, with more Catlian influences in architecture.

Somewhere along the way, you notice Catér, Meowloth and Cata stayed behind to look for that inn. Purrance is following you with a wry, amused smile on his face.

Purren leads you along the street, towards a simple but big and very nice looking house, covered with ivy...

You blink, and when you open your eyes, you are not in Defiance Bay. You are in a garden of some sort of a temple, talking with that fluffy black cat from your meowmories.

[each of you is alone, so we'll go one by one, but we're not doing whispurrs because more fun this way]

[who wants to go first? or do you wanna roll for that?]

**Marmalade**

[roll for it sounds good!]

**game meowster**

[pls roll]

**Lulu**

4

**Pike**

7

**Marmalade**

10

**game meowster**

[so Marms, Pike, Lulu. the beginning of the meowmory is the same for everyone]

The black cat looks concerned as he turns to you. "Your meowssionary friends say you have been neglecting your duties, and that they're worried for you."

"What's wrong, Mocha?"

**Marmalade**

"Nothing! I mean...well, I hadn't been spending as much time with my sisters as I used to, so...maaaaybe I was out prowling with them instead of meowmorizing the prayers last week."

**game meowster**

He pats you on the head. "Mocha, child, there's nothing wrong with spending time with your family." He looks sad. "And if that troubles you, then I have failed you not just as a teacher, but as a father you've come to see me as."

**Marmalade**

"Oh." Mocha sighs.

**game meowster**

For a while, he's thinking. "Maybe you could recite the purrayers with your sisters as you prowl together? They don't seem very patient when it comes to conventional lessons."

"Would that make you feel better?"

**Marmalade**

"Meow, it's true, they don't like to sit still." Mocha's tail twitches. "Sometimes I don't, either. But we could pray and prowl!" Her ears perk up. "That sounds fun!"

**game meowster**

"And maybe you could take turns reciting different parts of the purrayers?"

**Marmalade**

She nods. "We could try that..."

**game meowster**

"I know it's difficult when you don't have enough time for kitties you feel close to." He gives you a brief smile. "But don't let that discourage you. You've come so far."

"And should you have any more doubts, please remember that even when I'm busy, I will always find time for you."

**Marmalade**

Mocha purrs. "Thank you, Grandmeowster."

**game meowster**

He smiles and gives you a cat hug.

[now Pike]

The black cat looks concerned as he turns to you. "Your meowssionary friends say you have been neglecting your duties, and that they're worried for you."

"What's wrong, Bramble?"

**Pike**

I shuffle my paws, looking down. "I've tried really hard to make friends but I'm not very good at it... how can I tell others about the catgods when I can't even talk to them?"

**game meowster**

He pats your paw. "You can show them, with your dedication and the cat hugs you give. Not every meowssionary has to talk." He gives you an encouraging smile. "And leading by example is often more effective."

**Pike**

I smile shyly. "I can do that. Thank you, grandmeowster."

**game meowster**

"And many of the cats you know want to be your friends. They are just intimidated by your fast progress with all the lessons. And some find talking just as difficult as you do." He pats your paw again. "Maybe your excellent cat hugs could help you with that?"

"Cat hugs are a language that doesn't need words."

**Pike**

I brighten up a bit. "Really? I guess I can try - I do like hugging."

**game meowster**

"Everyone does. But some cats feel they're not very good at it and that stops them from trying."

He smiles. "It looks like you kitties can all help each other."

**Pike**

I smile back. "Thank you, grandmeowster - I'll do my best to help my friends."

**game meowster**

"Your cat hugs help them a great deal." He smiles and gives you a cat hug.

[now Lulu]

The black cat looks concerned as he turns to you. "Your meowssionary friends say you have been neglecting your duties, and that they're worried for you."

"What's wrong, Cinnamon?"

**Lulu**

I sigh. “I’m sorry. I miss my old pack- I asked them again if they want to join us here, but none of them want to come.”

**game meowster**

"I'm sorry to hear that." He puts his paw over yours. "And I'm sorry you haven't been able to find family here... Though I know that wouldn't be the same."

"Why don't they want to come? Even to visit you?"

**Lulu**

“They said they don’t want to learn about the catgods. They’d rather I went back home and stayed with them.”

**game meowster**

He gives you a serious look. "Do you want to?"

**Lulu**

I think about it for a moment and then shake my head. “No. I miss them, but if I went back I would miss being here.” I pause and look down, and scratch my paws a little in the dirt. “I would miss spending time with the other acolytes, and with you.”

**game meowster**

"I should have just tried to convince you to stay instead of asking." He shakes his head. "But I don't want you to be sad, Cinnamon. You deserve to have plenty of fluff in your life."

He smiles a little. "But I would miss spending time with you, too, if you left."

[all those cat feels in earlier convos, and now Cinnamon is so cute, Grandmeowster.exe not working XD]

**Lulu**

I smile back. “Don’t worry, I won’t leave. Thank you for speaking with me.”

**game meowster**

"I'm always here if you need to talk to someone, my dear." He smiles back. "Or to train cat hugs."

**Lulu**

I laugh at that. “I do still need more practice with those. But I think I’m getting better.”

**game meowster**

"I'm sure you will." The smile slowly vanishes from his face. "I'm not worried about you leaving, Cinnamon. I'm worried about you staying and being unhappy here."

**Lulu**

“I’m not unhappy. Just a little homesick. But being here with you is worth it.”

**game meowster**

He smiles a little. "I hope in time you can find a new home here." And he leans in and brushes his nose against yours.

**Pike**

[Oooh!]

**game meowster**

[gotta start working on those kittens XD ]

**Lulu**

I smile and nuzzle him back.

**game meowster**

He smiles and gives you a cat hug.

**Lulu**

I return the hug (and hopefully do better than a nat 1 XD ).

**game meowster**

[wanna roll for it? XD]

**Lulu**

Ooh 19!

[She’s been practicing apparently]

**game meowster**

Your hug is nearly perfect, and it makes the black cat give a very content purr.

Your visions dissolve, and you find yourself back in Defiance Bay, in the middle of the street in Cattenbury, with a puzzled Purren staring at you.

"Huh, guess the rumours are true, then. You really are Ameowkened Meowchers."

**Pike**

"I didn't know you could dream while being awake!"

**game meowster**

"That's more or less the very definition of being Ameowkened."

**Lulu**

“Wow! Is that going to happen a lot?”

**Marmalade**

"If it does, it's gonna get confusing!"

**game meowster**

"Probably, yeah. Or you could start talking to yourself. Meow, you know, your past self. Some Ameowkened cats do that."

**Marmalade**

"That sounds confusing too!"

**Pike**

"Maybe I could make friends with my past self? I think she needs one!"

**game meowster**

"You'd have to wait for the talking-to-yourself phase to do that, I think." Purren scratches his ear.

"Lady Meowdis will probably explain it all better." He nods at you. "Come on."

**Marmalade**

"Oh good!"

**Pike**

"Yes, let's meet her!"

**game meowster**

Purren leads you to the ivy-covered building. "Welcome to Meowdret House," he says as he opens the door.

First thing you notice when you get inside is how much parchment and paper is in the room. Books and scrolls on the shelves and tables, and maps and notes pinned to the walls.

There's a bunch of cats there, too, and they seem to be talking, because some do things that require coordination, but none of them speaks.

Purren points at the stairs. "Up you go."

**Marmalade**

"Looks like Cata would love this place," Marms whispers with a glance at all the parchment and paper scattered around.

**game meowster**

Purren's fur ruffles a bit. "No touching," he hisses. "Take your grabby paws elsewhere."

**Lulu**

“We didn’t touch anything!” I say, and then go up the stairs.

**Marmalade**

Marms follows.

**Pike**

I follow Lulu.

**game meowster**

"There would be no point in warning after you did," Purren replies.

Upstairs, you see a few more busy cats. In the middle of a hall, there is a door, left ajar.

You hear a quiet but still somehow powerful meow from that direction. "Come in."

**Lulu**

I go in.

**Pike**

Me too!

**Marmalade**

Marms too!

**game meowster**

The room you enter looks like an office, with a big desk littered with papers. Next to it, on a comfy chair, sits an old and very fluffy cat lady with brown-grey fur with circles of darker fur around her big green eyes.

"Meowchers." She gives you a small smile. "Welcome."

**Lulu**

“Hello!”

**Pike**

"Hello there!"

**Marmalade**

"Hi, nice to meetcha!"

**game meowster**

"I've heard you were looking for me."

**Marmalade**

"We heard you were looking for us, too!"

**game meowster**

"Oh, I just like to... keep an eye on what's going on in this city." Another smile. "I suppose you could say I'm just another kind of a Meowcher."

**Lulu**

“Do you have weird dreams too?”

**game meowster**

“What dreams aren't weird?" She laughs. "But I meant that I can see the yarn of thoughts and souls, kitten. Just differently than you do."

**Marmalade**

Marms tilts his head. "Does it look actually like yarn when you see it? It doesn't really for us..."

**game meowster**

"It can, when you focus."

[I suspect Marms' may look like catnip though]

**Marmalade**

Marms tilts his head the other way, squinting at Lady Webb, almost to the point of Meowching her...but not quite. Then he says, "But can you play with the yarn you see?"

**game meowster**

She laughs again. "Ah, that's the best kind of yarn to play with, kitten."

**Marmalade**

"Oooh!"

**game meowster**

She glances at Lulu. "Your musical friend probably knows something about it."

"Purrforming isn't that different from ciphpurring, after all."

**Lulu**

“Really? I guess I’ve never tried to ciphpurr before!”

**game meowster**

"But you can influence your cataudience, can't you? Putting that yarn into the shapes and patterns you want, that's how it works."

"Enough about meowtaphysics, though. What brings you to Defiance Bay?"

**Lulu**

“We’re looking for the Leaden Claw!”

**game meowster**

Her eyes gleam, and something changes in her expression. "Oh? Why?"

**Lulu**

“We got ameowkened, and now we need to meet them and become their friends so our memories make sense!”

**Marmalade**

"And they seem like they need friends really badly!"

"Also, we won't drink their milk, we have some of our own."

**game meowster**

[will save roll, everyone]

**Pike**

12

**Marmalade**

5!

**Lulu**

8

**game meowster**

She looks over all of you. It seems just like a glance, but the moment she is looking seems like ages to each of you. "Some of you were more than friends with some of them, I see."

[she only succeeded on one roll, but she wouldn't let that show and would bluff through it, and so will the gm]

**Lulu**

“They seem pretty nice from what I remember!”

**game meowster**

"They can be nice, if they want."

"Why do you want to make friends with them?"

**Lulu**

I look confused by that question. “Well, why wouldn’t we?”

**game meowster**

"The Leaden Claw isn't good friend material, kitten."

**Pike**

"The old Meowcher suggested we find them!"

**game meowster**

"Ah, Meowrwald. If he said so, then perhaps you should."

"You've heard of the temple of Woedicat in First Furballs. You need to get under it. There is an entrance to the catacombs in Kittylane. That's how you can get in."

**Pike**

"Exploring catacombs? Sounds exciting!"

**Marmalade**

"Just like exploring the ruins!"

**Pike**

"Maybe we'll find more milk down there!"

**Lulu**

“But remember, we shouldn’t drink it!”

**Marmalade**

"Wait, but we weren't going to drink Leaden Claw milk. Won't it be theirs if we find it there?

**game meowster**

Lady Meowdis narrows her eyes a little. "You were in Meowgwithan ruins?"

**Marmalade**

"That's how we got to be Meowchers!" Marms thinks a moment. "Uh...you don't think that was because of the milk in the ruins, was it?"

**Lulu**

“Whoa, I think you might be right!”

**game meowster**

"No, not because of the milk. Was there anything unusual happening there, aside from the magic wind?" Her frown deepens. "Did you see a black cat in strange robes, by any chance?"

**Lulu**

“Yeah! He’s in my ameowkening dreams too!”

**Marmalade**

"Mine too! He was really nice in the dreams!"

**Pike**

"And mine!"

**game meowster**

"I've told you, they can be nice if they want."

"What did you dream of?

**Marmalade**

"Sisters!"

**game meowster**

"But you said you dreamt of the black cat."

**Marmalade**

"Yeah, he was there too. Oh, but my sisters were also black cats! So was I!"

**Pike**

"I dreamed of me, but with no fur, and a bit sad! The black cat made me feel better!"

**game meowster**

"Yes, he's really good at that..."

She turns to Lulu. "And you, kitten?"

**Lulu**

“I was hunting, and then I think I was homesick, but the black cat was really nice and I liked him a lot!”

**game meowster**

She gives Lulu a knowing look. "Poor kitten..."

**Lulu**

I tilt my head. “What’s wrong?”

**game meowster**

"He might not be so nice when you meet him in this life. You're not Leaden Claw, after all."

"I would try to avoid getting in his way, if I were you."

**Marmalade**

"Well, that's not very friendly of him." Marms' tail puffs up a bit.

**Lulu**

“We just have to teach him how to be friendly again, like we did with Purrance!”

**game meowster**

She gives Marms an amused look. "I suppose you know a lot about being very friendly."

**Marmalade**

"Yeah! If we can make friends with Purrance, we can make friends with anycat!"

**game meowster**

"Just don't get your hopes too high, kittens."

**Pike**

"It's worth a try, though, right?"

**game meowster**

"Not everything is worth trying. But I hope you succeed. It won't be a very long journey if you fail."

**Lulu**

“We should at least give them a chance!”

**Pike**

"Do you know the black cat?"

**game meowster**

"I know some things about him. More than most, I suppose."

**Lulu**

“What’s his name? It’s kind of confusing just calling him the black cat.”

**Marmalade**

"Especially when my sisters and I were black cats too!"

**game meowster**

She laughs. "But you have to admit it's also amusing."

She becomes serious again. "His name is Thaos ix Meowkannon."

[perception roll]

**Marmalade**

18!

**Lulu**

16

**Pike**

5

**game meowster**

She just seems very serious.

**Marmalade**

Marms tilts his head. "Ix? I never heard of a cat named Ix before."

**Pike**

"At least we know what to call him next time we run into him!"

**game meowster**

" _ Ix _ is..." She starts explaining, looks at Marms and her paws and ears drop a little. "Actually, nevermind."

"It's definitely a weird name."

**Marmalade**

"Yeah...but that's OK! It sounds pretty cool too!"

"And Pike's right! It'll be much easier to befriend him since we know his name now!"

**game meowster**

She smiles politely. "I already regret I won't be there to see it."

**Pike**

[Poor lady Webb lol]

**Lulu**

“We’ll come back and tell you what happens!”

**Marmalade**

"And thank you for all your help!"

**Pike**

"It was really nice meeting you!"

**Lulu**

“Yeah! Thanks for the help!”

**game meowster**

"Please do come back and tell me what you learn. Thank you, kittens."

"It was... very interesting, meeting you."

**Pike**

"We've met so many interesting cats since we got to the Purrwood, it's been so much fun!"

**Marmalade**

"It's a good place to make new friends!"

**game meowster**

She smiles. "Interesting cats is what this place has in abundance."

**Lulu**

“Yeah! We’re making so many friends!”

**Pike**

"Hopefully we'll make some more too!"

**game meowster**

"Good for you! I don't see any of them with you now, though?"

**Marmalade**

"They aren't used to walking like we are, so they went to find an inn."

**Pike**

[Didn't Purrance come with us?]

**game meowster**

[he did. but he's not with you now]

"There's a nice inn here in Cattenbury, if you have enough gold furballs."

**Pike**

"Uh, maybe Lulu can sing for the innkeeper again?"

**Marmalade**

Marms thinks. "That cat that you sent to get us said something about finding lost things for furballs. We're good at finding lost things, maybe we can earn some furballs!"

**Lulu**

“I’d be happy to!”

“I bet we’d be really good at that!”

**game meowster**

"I'm afraid you can't really do ciphpurrs' work." She crosses her paws and rests her chin on them. "But I can pay you if you bring me information about the Leaden Claw's plans."

**Lulu**

“That works too!”

**game meowster**

"I can arrange for one night at the Charred Basket inn for the three of you. Let's call that an... investment."

**Pike**

[I love that inn name!]

"Thank you! That's really nice of you!"

**Marmalade**

"That sounds great!"

**game meowster**

"I'll send someone to let the innkeeper know. Goodbyes, kittens, sleep well!"

**Marmalade**

"Bye, and thank you!"

**Lulu**

“Bye!”

**Pike**

"Thank you, Lady Webb!" I wave goodbye to her.

**game meowster**

She smiles and waves back.

When you walk out of Lady Webb's office, Purren is waiting for you.

**Lulu**

“Hello again!”

**game meowster**

"Hello to you too!" He smiles at Lulu.

"If you do a little sightseeing on the way, by the time you get to the inn your food and rooms should be ready. Or you could use that time to find that friend you lost on the way here."

He walks you to the door as he talks. "See you next time you come to see Lady Meowdis, I suppose?"

**Lulu**

“Yeah, we’ll stop by and say hello!”

**game meowster**

"Stay safe!" As you walk out into the street, Purren looks at Marms. "You know, I really appreciate mom's decision of never marrying you. Bye!" And with that, he closes the door behind you.

**Marmalade**

Marms, who previously rolled I think an 11? just looks confused XD

**Pike**

"Have you been to the Purrwood before, Marms?"

**Marmalade**

"Hm...I don't think so? Maybe? A forest is a forest, after a while you've seen 'em all..."

**Pike**

"I wonder if you met Purren's mother somewhere else then?"

**Marmalade**

"Could be!"

**game meowster**

[and with this very confused Marms and also a very lost Purrance we'll end tonight's session!]

**Marmalade**

[Purrance is just confused by this newfangled "friendship" thing and lost track of where he was going XD]


End file.
